高分子材料加工技术专业英语ThermoplasticsandThermosettingPlastics7polymertechpolyamides.docVIP

For the purposes of this chapter, polyamides are defined as polymers which contain recurring amide groups (-CO-NH-) in the main chain The most important commercial polymers of this type are synthetic linear aliphatic polyamides which are capable of fibre formation : these polymers are very commonly termed nylons. There are also available more complex synthetic aliphatic polyamides which are not fibre-forming but which have found use in such applications as adhesives and coating. Various synthetic aromatic polyamides and derivatives have been prepared principally for evaluation in high temperature applications. Some of these materials have found limited commercial use in industry. Finally a very important class of polyamides consists of the naturally occurring proteins. The importance of proteins extends beyond their various fundamental roles in living matter to several technological applications such as adhesives and fibres. The commercial development of nylons was an outcome of the fundamental researches into polymerization which were begun in 1929 by Carothers of E.I. du pond de Nemours and Co. Several polyamides and polyesters were investigated : nylon 6, 6 was first synthesized in 1935 and was selected as most promising fibre-forming material. Commercial production was started 1938 : nylon stacking were put on trial sale in 1939 and become generally available in the U.S.A. in 1940. The first nylon mouldings were produced in 1941 but the polymer did not become well known in this form until about 1950. Nylon 6 ,6 continues to be the major commercial nylon but several other nylons have now achieved commercial status. The principal nylons which are currently commercially available are shown below. For the preparation of these nylons, three general methods have been developed, namely reaction of * a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid : * self condensation of an ?-aminoacid : * and ring opening polymerization of a lactam. The methods usually applied for each nyl