discuss crystallinity and amorphous nature observed in polymers
Answers
Crystalline and Amorphous Polymers
Crystalline structures are generally very ordered, which is what gives them strength and rigidity. Think of diamond or steel as examples. A crystalline polymer, where the molecular chains are largely locked in place against one another, is similar. Apply a load and it will break rather than bend.
Amorphous polymers are the opposite. Rather than being rigid, the random molecular jumble lets the chains move across each other when the polymer is pushed or pulled. In short, amorphous polymers have flexibility and elasticity.
In reality the distinction is not black or white. Within virtually all polymers there’s a mix of crystalline and amorphous structures. The proportion of each is influenced by how the polymer is processed, it’s composition, and temperature. An amorphous polymer might still contain 10% crystalline structures while one that’s crystalline might actually only have 80% of its structure truly ordered in a crystalline manner.