Triptycene side unit effects on compressive yield strength in polycarbonates

Polycarbonates have long been studied for their excellent mechanical toughness. Adding side units to polycarbonate could increase physical properties of the polymer. The role of triptycene in polycarbonate was studied by adding a low concentration of triptycene-containing polymer chains, and using compression testing. The triptycene polycarbonate was a blend created from two separate products. Differential Scanning Calorimetry was used to determine if the samples had phase separated. Thermal degradation of the samples was checked for using Thermogravimetric Analysis. Results indicated that triptycene-containing polycarbonates had higher compressive yield strengths than non-triptycene polycarbonates. The polymers were stronger due to the interlocking mechanism and the steric hindrance of the triptycene units. The design of strengthening polymers by adding triptycene units could prove useful to improve high performing polymers, or to give low molecular weight polymers more stability.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Fraser, Douglas (Douglas H.)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Edwin L. Thomas.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35071

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/35071