Physical, Chemical, and Thermal Analysis of Thermoplastic Resins

This article addresses some established protocols for characterizing thermoplastics and whether they are homogeneous resins, alloyed, or blended compositions or highly modified thermoplastic composites. It begins with a discussion on characterizing mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties of polymer. This is followed by a section describing molecular weight determination using viscosity measurements. Next, the article discusses the use of cone and plate and parallel plate geometries in melt rheology. It then reviews the processes involved in the analysis of thermoplastic resins by chromatography. Finally, the article covers three operations of thermoanalysis, namely differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and thermomechanical testing.

Tribological behavior of UHMWPE in water lubrication: the effect of molding temperature

Purpose Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is adopted in water-lubricated bearings for its excellent performance. This paper aims to investigate the tribological properties of UHMWPE with a molecular weight of 10.2 million (g mol‐1) under different molding temperatures. Design/methodology/approach The UHMWPE samples were prepared by mold pressing under constant pressure and different molding temperatures (140°C, 160°C, 180°C, 200°C, 220°C). The friction and wear tests in water were conducted at the RTEC tribo-tester. Findings The friction coefficient and wear loss decreased first and rose later with the increasing molding temperature. The minimums of the friction coefficient and wear loss were found at the molding temperatures of 200°C. At low melting temperatures, the UHMWPE molecular chains could not unwrap thoroughly, leading to greater abrasive wear. On the other hand, high melting temperatures will cause the UHMWPE molecular chains to break up and decompose. The optimal molding temperatures for UHMWPE were found to be 200°C. Originality/value Findings are of great significance for the design of water-lubricated UHMWPE bearings.