Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers
This thesis examines the relationship between the microstructural and the mechanical properties of poly-(propylene-ethylene) bi-phasic copolymers. The copolymers investigated covered a comonomer content ranging between 4 and 23 percent ethylene. Nine grades were considered, with variables such as th...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Centre for Materials Engineering
2016
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613217753137152 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mange, Siyabonga |
| author2 | Marcus, Kashif |
| author_browse | Mange, Siyabonga Marcus, Kashif |
| author_facet | Marcus, Kashif Mange, Siyabonga |
| author_sort | Mange, Siyabonga |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This thesis examines the relationship between the microstructural and the mechanical properties of poly-(propylene-ethylene) bi-phasic copolymers. The copolymers investigated covered a comonomer content ranging between 4 and 23 percent ethylene. Nine grades were considered, with variables such as the melt flow index, the degree of crystallinity, the molecular weight distribution and the effect of a nucleating agent being examined. These copolymers have been characterised in order to gain a better understanding of the interrelationship between the morphological structure and their physical, mechanical, thermal and thermo-mechanical properties. The toughness of the copolymers can be enhanced at low temperatures by increasing the ethylene content, at the expense of a loss in stiffness. A study of the microstructure using the scanning electron microscope indicates that a good balance between these two properties can be achieved through a uniform size and spatial distribution of the ethylene-propylene rubber particles within the polypropylene homopolymer matrix. The transmission electron microscope shows the ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) to be agglomerates of smaller particles, with some crystallinity within the EPR being evident. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/19804 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:38.580Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | Centre for Materials Engineering |
| publisherStr | Centre for Materials Engineering |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/19804 Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers Mange, Siyabonga Marcus, Kashif Materials Engineering This thesis examines the relationship between the microstructural and the mechanical properties of poly-(propylene-ethylene) bi-phasic copolymers. The copolymers investigated covered a comonomer content ranging between 4 and 23 percent ethylene. Nine grades were considered, with variables such as the melt flow index, the degree of crystallinity, the molecular weight distribution and the effect of a nucleating agent being examined. These copolymers have been characterised in order to gain a better understanding of the interrelationship between the morphological structure and their physical, mechanical, thermal and thermo-mechanical properties. The toughness of the copolymers can be enhanced at low temperatures by increasing the ethylene content, at the expense of a loss in stiffness. A study of the microstructure using the scanning electron microscope indicates that a good balance between these two properties can be achieved through a uniform size and spatial distribution of the ethylene-propylene rubber particles within the polypropylene homopolymer matrix. The transmission electron microscope shows the ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) to be agglomerates of smaller particles, with some crystallinity within the EPR being evident. 2016-05-24T09:08:24Z 2016-05-24T09:08:24Z 1999 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19804 eng application/pdf Centre for Materials Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Materials Engineering Mange, Siyabonga Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| title_full | Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| title_fullStr | Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| title_short | Structure-property relationships in poly-(propylene-ethylene) copolymers |
| title_sort | structure property relationships in poly propylene ethylene copolymers |
| topic | Materials Engineering |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19804 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mangesiyabonga structurepropertyrelationshipsinpolypropyleneethylenecopolymers |