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Virginia Tech

High Performance Engineering Polymers: Design, Properties, and Performance

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The facile synthesis of engineering thermoplastics enabled the development of structure-morphology-property relationships for a wide range of applications. Utilizing step-growth polymerization techniques, a myriad of reaction conditions probed various polymer families including polysulfones, polyesters, polyimides and polyureas. Copolymers ranging from random to segmented sequences provided insight into the influence of segment length on physical properties. Melting temperatures, glass transition temperatures, and mechanical properties responded systematically to segment length and morphology. Leveraging several complementary analytical techniques identified critical segment lengths required for phase separation and crystallization within these copolymers. Introduction of hydrogen bonding further complicated the interrelationships between thermal and mechanical properties, and possible co-crystallization between dissimilar segments occurred. Finally, branching out from linear copolymers to other topologies determined the influence of branch length on rheological and mechanical properties. The commercially-viable synthesis of these various thermoplastics further highlights the immediate impact on state-of-the-art materials, and the fundamental development described herein provides a road map for future development in this field.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Learning Sciences and Technologies
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2017

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Dennis, Joseph M.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Long, Timothy E.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Turner, S. Richard
  • Matson, John B.
  • Moore, Robert Bowen
  • Bortner, Michael J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en_US

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:11217
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/80034

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Dennis, Joseph M.. High Performance Engineering Polymers: Design, Properties, and Performance. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/80034