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Feel: Teflon and polyethylene feel waxy. Thermosets feel hard and sound brittle when dropped or struck
with a metallic object. Rubbers are flexible and sometimes stretchy.
Color: Most polymers are available in a wide color range resulting from the addition of various pigments.
Phenol-formaldehyde thermosets (Bakelite) are inherently dark colored. If a polymer is light in color, it is
not a phenol-formaldehyde thermoset.
In the absence of additives, pure amorphous polymers have high optical clarity (transparent),
whereas crystalline polymers are translucent to opaque. The following are examples of transparent
polymers: PET (pop bottles), PMMA (Plexiglas), PC (bulletproof glass), PVAc (blister packaging).
Specific Gravity:
Polyolefins, i.e., polyethylene, polypropylene and polyallomers (block copolymers of ethylene
and propylene) float in water (s.g. < 1.0). Most other polymers sink in water (s.g. > 1.0). Test
the specific gravity on any samples for which you can readily obtain a small piece. Drop a
small piece in a beaker of water. Be sure that the sample is wetted i.e., overcome surface
tension by pushing the plastic under the surface. Specific gravity tests do not apply to
plastics that are produced as expanded foams. Enclosed gas cells within the plastic will
cause even dense polymers to float. For simplicity, polymer s.g. is determined vs. H2O @
23ºC.
Specific gravity can be accurately measured by weighing a polymer sample in air and in a
fluid, e.g., water. The s.g. can be calculated as follows…
B = wt. of sample + wire in air For C, immerse only as
B −A
s.g . = A = wt. of wire in air much of the wire as was
B − A − D +C C = wt of wire in water immersed when weighing
D = wt. of sample + wire in water the sample.
density of object wt. of sple. (in air) (wt. of sple. + wire in air) - (wt. of wire in air)
s.g . = = = =
density of water wt. of H 2 O (displaced by sple.) (wt. of sple. in air) - (wt. of sple. in H 2O)
[Archimedes principle: An object immersed in water is buoyed up with a force equal to the weight of water it displaces.]
For plastics that are less dense than water (olefins), secure the wire so that the sample is
held under water or hang a lead weight on the sample and incorporate this into the
calculation.
The specific gravity of a given polymer may vary due to the method of polymerization and the
method by which the polymer is processed.
The method of polymerization may affect the extent of chain branching. For example,
compare highly-branched LDPE with sparsely-branched HDPE.
The method of processing may affect the extent of crystallization. Rapid cooling produces an
amorphous (less dense) polymer. Slow cooling or cooling under stress (e.g., melt spinning or
gel spinning) often induces crystallization, resulting in a more dense polymer.
The addition of a filler is another cause for variation of s.g. of a given polymer.
Vulcanized black
rubber
PS
Melamine
(Melmac dish)
PMMA (Plexiglass)
Polycarbonate (Lexan)
FRP Epoxy
PP
PE
5
POLYMER IDENTIFICATION LAB
Procedure:
1. Perform a flame test and a float/sink test on all the types of polymers for which samples have
been provided. There is a set of small beakers containing small polymer chips for these two
tests.
For the float/sink test, do not use a piece of plastic that has been burned. Use a fresh piece
of plastic. Ensure that the surface of the plastic is completely wetted. Using tweezers, shake
the piece under water to release any air bubbles adhering to the surface of the plastic.
Adhering air bubbles may cause a dense plastic to float.
Record observations for all the characteristics listed on the Polymer Identification Flame Test
(Float/Sink Test) chart.
Do not burn any other plastics without the instructor’s permission and be sure to work in a
fume hood over an asbestos pad or gypsum board to catch all drips. See the Flame Test
instructions for details on performing the test.
Each student must submit his/her own copy of the results next week.
2. Accurately determine the specific gravity (s.g.) of 3 different polymer samples supplied by the
instructor. Compare the results with the s.g. values listed on the table of Specific Gravities
handout supplied by your instructor. Also consider other physical properties such as
sink/float, feel, stiffness, clarity, color, etc. Do not burn any of the S.G. samples.
Report the Sample Identification number (‘ρ -A’, ‘ρ -B’, ‘ρ -C’, ‘U-1’, ‘U-2’, etc.), the calculated
s.g., and the polymer identity you have determined. Calculations are not required.