Material properties and structure

The use of polymer materials in products offer great benefits such as reduced cost, improved properties and increased stabilty and lifetime. This is important to consider when subjecting a polymer to a load. The creep modulus decreases with time which may result in catastrophic failure after a certain time period.

Polymers

Structure

The chemical structure of a polymer will determine all properties.

Polymer consit of macromolecules consiting of long molecule chains which contains different repeating units. Co-polymers conatins side chains that add unique properties. Depending on the chemical structure the a thermoplastic can be amorphous or semi-crystalline. Thermost, Rubber and Elastomers contains chemical cross-links between the macromolecules which offer new unqie properties.