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Synthesis-Dependent Parameters: Molecular Weight, Constitution and Configuration

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Polymers on the Crime Scene

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Abstract

As outlined in Chap. 1, any polymeric object is actually a composite, containing a number of ingredients with different functions. Of course, the matrix is the fundamental component because it constitutes the largest portion of the material. The scheme in Fig. 1.1 shows that the characterisation of the polymer matrix can be organised along two main directions. One is focused on the molecular features directly related to the polymerisation process, the other is centred upon the description of the structure and morphology attained by the material. In the former approach, the constitution and the configuration (Sect. 2.7) of the polymer are investigated. Constitution defines which repeat units are present in the macromolecules and how they are connected together. Section 5.7 introduced the issue of the identification of the polymer matrix, mostly with the aim of broadly classifying the type of material within the families described in Sect. 2.8. However, much more information can be obtained, in order to discriminate between materials pertaining to the same class. Molecular weight, the presence of comonomers or the regularity of the sequence of repeat units are constitutional features which can be exploited for this purpose. The tacticity of the polymeric chains, i.e. the evenness of the succession of the configuration of the repeat units, is another important attribute which is directly dependent on the ability of the polymerisation process to control the stereoregularity of the synthesis. All these characteristics cannot be modified without breaking chemical bonds, and are therefore the result of the reactions involved in the synthesis of the material. On the other hand, processing has a very negligible role in influencing them.

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  1. Università di Padova, Padova, Italy

    Valerio Causin

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  1. Valerio Causin
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Causin, V. (2015). Synthesis-Dependent Parameters: Molecular Weight, Constitution and Configuration. In: Polymers on the Crime Scene. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15494-7_6

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