End Spring Semester Examination, 2012

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Subject: Polymer Technology Subject No.: MS 41004
Full Marks: 50 Time: 3 Hours

Read the instructions carefully and write brief answers.

Part A
Answer all the questions in Part A

1. Judge the following state'ments whether TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). 10

a) LC structure, having mesogens oriented parallel to one another but the directions vary from one
layer to another, is termed cholesteric.
b) Poly (alkyl cyanoacrylate) is·a good material for surgical glue and skin adhesive.
c) Poly hydroxy alkanoates are a class of polymers obtained from plants.
d) Bioabsorbable sutures are made from polyamides.
e) Montmorillonite (MMT) has2 tetrahedral sheets sandwiching a central octahedral sheet.
f) MWCNT is known as graphene.
g) Both orientational and positional symmetry are required for liquid crystalline property.
h) Nano robots with manipulator arms can act as good drug delivery device.
i) Saturated rubbers are vulcanized by sulphur.
j) Silica is reinforcing filler for rubber in presence of a coupling agent.
k) Inorganic fullerenes are made from iron, copper and sulphur.
I) The mechanical strength of a fiber reinforced composite is independent of its fiber diameter.
m) Creep is a time independent property of a body at constant stress.
n) Thixotropy is a shear-thinning phenomenon.
o) Poly (acrylamide) is a thermoresponsive polymer.
p) Extended 1t-electron conjugation is not an essential requirement for a polymer to be electrically
conducting.
q) Enamelled copper wire is an insulated conductor.
r) Melt viscosity of a thermotropic LCP is lower t~an that of a thermoplastic polymer.
s) High voltage corona treatment of a polyethylene film in air decreases its printability.
t) Glass transition temperature of a polymer can be obtained from XRD analysis.

2. Match the entries in the following two columns.

a) Conducting polymer 1. Fatigue
b) Water soluble polymer 2. Dopant
c) Chitosan 3. Whisker
d) Poly (glycolic acid) 4. Low viscosity
e) Endurance to cyclic stress 5. Viscoelasticity
f) AsF 5 6. High viscosity
g) Nematic 7. Biodegradable
h) Smectic 8. PEDOT
i) Single crystal 9.PVA
j) Spring and dashpot connected in series 10. Deacetylated polymer

3. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. .5

a) Carbon fiber is made from _ _ _ _.
b) Thermoresponsive intelligent polymer becomes hydrophobic with the _ _ _ _ in temperature.
c) Factice is used as in a rubber compound for rubber product.
d) Conducting polymer dopants are either agent or agents.
e) Pseudoplastic polymers are in nature.
 PartB
Answer any three questions from Part B
4. Answer all questions.
a) Give at least five examples for each of biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymers. 2
b) Show with examples the structural features of polymers required for making them
biodegradable. . 3
c) Which of the following plastics should be more resistant when immersed in 25% sulfuric acid at
room temperature: (a) HDPE, (b) PMMA, or (c) PV Ac? 1
d) Why microorganisms cannot degrade polyethylene film? 1
e) What happens in the thermooxidative and thermal degradation of polymers? 2
f) Give two examples for each of fire retardant polymers and combustible polymers. 1
5. Answer all questions.
a) Define and classify liquid crystalline polymers. 1
b) WhaLdo you mean by mesogen and mesophase? Describe with schematic diagrams different
mesophases of liquid crystalline polymers. Which of these mesophases resemble to molecular
composite/laminate? 4
c) What architectural units are used for designing liquid crystalline polymers? What strategies are
followed to decrease the melting temperature of a liquid crystalline polymer? 4
d) Compare the properties of thermotropic LCP and thermoplastic polymers. I
6. Answer all questions.
a) What are the structural requirements for making a polymer electrically conducting? Give two
examples of widely used conducting polymers. 2
.b) What is the purpose of doping? Give two examples of common dopants for conducting polymers
and state the techniques of doping. 2
c) Describe the mechanisms of doping and conduction in conducting polymers. 4
d) Write some important applications of conducting polymers. ' 2
7. Answer all questions.
a) Describe at least two applications of a suitable intelligent polymer to function as molecular valve
and separation technology or cell culture system. 4
b) Show how an intelligent polymer functions as ON/OFF ~witch in biomedical modulation systems
with change i_n temperatm:e when attached to a material surface or hydrogel or bioactive
molecule. 3
c) Describe the variation of shear stress with shear (strain) rate for different non-Newtonian fluids
with the help of a schematic diagram. 3
8. Give brief answers to the following questions.
a) What filler is used in Bakelite? 1
b) How is LDPE film produced? I
c) What do you mean by nano materials and nano technology? Give examples of some nano
materials and write how they are prepared. 3
d) Write the names of machines for the manufacture of each of the following plastic products:
(a) Water tank, (b) Packaging film, (c) Pipe, (d) Bottle cap. 2
e) Draw the cross-sectional sketch of a calendar machine and show how one side of a fabric can be
coated with a polymer by such calender. 2
f) Provide a list of techniques for the overall characterization of a polymer sample. 1
9. Give I)rief answers to the following questions.
a) What technique(s) would you use to determine crystallinity in a polymer? f
b) What thermal instrumental technique would you use to determine Tg? 1
c) Whict( of the following is viscoelastic: (a) steel, (b) neoprene, (c) diamond? 1
d) Which of the following should be most susceptible to degradation by acids and bases:
(a) PS; (b) PVC; (c) PET; (d) nylon-6,6; (e) proteins; (f) DNA? 1
e) Show the repeat unit formula for polydimethylsiloxane. 1
f) How would you explain the good thermal stability of silicones? 1
g) Draw representative structures for (a) homopolymers, (b) alternation copolymers, (c) random
copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile. 4

----------------------------- - -