High temperature polymers - Essay Example

Introduction: Polymers or most ordinarily known as plastics is used abundantly in a wide range of applications. In fact, they are seen almost anywhere in our daily lives. Polymers are those substances that are composed of individual monomers cross linked with long chains and bonds. They are composed of a long chain of carbon backbone constituted with other elemental contributions such as O,N,S,F, Si and S. Polymers are organic materials. Generally, their basic properties include lightweight, good insulation properties, ductile, low strength, and good noise and vibration dampers.

There are plastics used widely in many industries and can even be seen in everyday lives. Majority of the packaging materials seen today uses polymers with varying densities. Polymer molecular structures are large with complex bonds and chains. There are high density polymers and low density polymers. As per molecular structure, these polymers differ in their chain length, chain branching and the inter-chain bonds (Reusch). As a common misconception, polymers are said to be applied in low temperatures as they are known to degrade immediately with the presence of heat and exposure to high temperature.

There is however, a special kind of polymer- the high temperature polymer that exudes exemplary properties greatly superior than ordinary ones. Their applications are slowly introduced in the market and little by little replace the more conventional structural materials. High Temperature Polymers: Definition and Properties Plastics as considered with their physical appearance are not known to be used in high temperatures due to misconception that they easily melt with application of heat. This may be true somehow as most plastics found in nature are easily destructed with high temperature.

However, there are some kinds of plastics that are designed differently from all the rest. Indeed, there are plastics and polymers that are resistant with temperatures and they are guaranteed to be of best application when high temperature and heat are concerned. High temperature polymers are those plastics that can withstand temperatures above 135oC. They are known as the ‘commodity’ plastics and at the moment, it has increased in the percentage in the total plastic usage (Performance 1).

These are stable plastic materials derived through lengthy and vigorous research works and innovative inventions of brilliant minds that walked through this life that prove that the synthetic chemistry field has reached maturation. Applications of these materials range widely as there are many technologies where these polymers are used. It is important to note that high temperature polymers have properties that bypassed those ordinary ones. Heat transfer is mostly through conduction. Specific heats have a range of 0.7-2.5 kJ/kg-K.

Polymer composites on the other hand have variable specific heats depending on the average weight of the components. Thermal conductivity ranges from 0.1 -0.2 W/m-K (Tant et al 4). It is also important to note that the value may differ when there is incorporation of other particles in the materials (5). The maximum tensile stress application can reach from 455 kPa or 1820 kPa (6). Properties of composite polymers that are applicable for high temperatures have higher values as compared to other materials.

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