Materials Know How
Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 26: High-Performance Thermoplastics
The majority of the polymers that today we rely on for outstanding performance — such as polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone and PPS — were introduced in the period between 1965 and 1985. Here’s how they entered your toolbox of engineering of materials.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials, Part 25: Silicones
The long road to the development of silicone resulted in a chemistry that is remarkably versatile.
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The Importance of Melt & Mold Temperature
Molders should realize how significantly process conditions can influence the final properties of the part.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Silicones
More properly known as siloxanes, silicones are a class of materials where no carbon is present in the polymer backbone.
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How Do You Like Your Acetal: Homopolymer or Copolymer?
Acetal materials have been a commercial option for more than 50 years.
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PBT and PET Polyester: The Difference Crystallinity Makes
To properly understand the differences in performance between PET and PBT we need to compare apples to apples—the semi-crystalline forms of each polymer.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Polyphenylene Oxide Blends
PPO was a promising new high-performance thermoplastic, but it could be made useful only by mixing it with a humble commodity resin.
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The Strain Rate Effect
The rate of loading for a plastic material is a key component of how we perceive its performance.
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Tracing the History of Polymeric Materials: Polyphenylene Oxide
Behind the scenes of the discovery of PPO.
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Why (and What) You Need to Dry
Other than polyolefins, almost every other polymer exhibits some level of polarity and therefore can absorb a certain amount of moisture from the atmosphere. Here’s a look at some of these materials, and what needs to be done to dry them.
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