Polymer Techniques: Book of Laboratory Reports and Practical Learnings

Viscosity is one of the parameters fast and easily measure for many types of susbtances. This patameter are consider an important characteristic to defining a portfolium of polymer aplication. To determine the kinematic viscosity ASTM D4452 and their adaptations are most used in many types of industry. The objective of this report was use pure solutions of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and toluene as base solvent for poly(methyl methactylate) (PMMA) viscosity studies. Pure solutions of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and toluene was prepared contanied 15 ml of each reactant in a 50 ml flasks with 6 different concentrations (0; 0.005; 0.01; 0.015; 0.02 and 0.025 g/ml) of poly(methyl methactylate) (PMMA). Cannon-fenske capillary according according to ASTM D4452 was used in this laboratory practice to determine the kinematic viscosity of the prepared solutions and the molecular mass (Mw) was calculated using the equation commonly known as the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada applying different values for constants K and α. THF based solution 𝜂 𝑟𝑒𝑑 shows a linear increase expressed by the equation coeficient R2=0.99. 𝜂 𝑟𝑒𝑑 is an direct function of specific viscosity and relative viscosity, both direct related to t, that is demosntrated by the results with the linear increase. Toluene based solution 𝜂 𝑟𝑒𝑑 not expresse a clearly tendency, during the measurements of t and to, by the equation coeficient R2=0.31. 𝜂 𝑖𝑛ℎ showed the same non-linear tendency. The average PMMA MW (g/gmol) considering all solvent bases of THF and toluene was 1.2046 g/gmol and 9.485107x105 respectively. A higher interaction with PMMA and toluene are finded