the effect of temperature change on polymers
Answers
When substances made of small molecules are heated, they simply melt and form a free-flowing liquid; however with polymers the process is more complex.
When polymers are cooled, they will often become very brittle. When heated, the polymers will first become flexible before melting.
This is due to their structure. In some polymers, there are areas of crystalline and amorphous regions. In the “glassy” state, the tangled polymer chains in the amorphous region become “frozen”, which prevents easy movement of the chains relative to each other. If the polymer is forced to change shape, it does so by breaking.
The effect of temperature change on polymers. ... If the polymer is forced to change shape, it does so by breaking. When the glassy material is heated, the polymer chains will reach a temperature at which they can move relative to each other (the glass transition temperature Tg).