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High performance transparent polymers: Progress and prospects
Author(s) -
Ledwith Anthony
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.199509801122
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer , nanotechnology , composite material
Apart from packaging there are a number of important applications of polymers for which (mainly) visible light transmission and/or optical refractive power are especially important. These include the use of plastics in all types of glazings for buildings and transportation, the use of solid polymers and hydrogels in ophthalmics and the growing utilization of polymeric disc substrates for a variety of data storage and video reproduction systems. However, although this range of applications is very broad, it is remarkable that only a few polymer types currently meet the demanding material specifications. Outstanding examples include poly(vinylbutyral) 1 for glass‐laminated safety/security glazings, the crosslinked polymeric resin obtained by free radical polymerization of diethylene glycol‐bisallyl carbonate (CR39 monomer) for spectacle lenses, 2 and polycarbonates for monolithic glazings, ophthalmics and disc substrates. In many applications, the polymeric material must compete on performance and price with more traditional inorganic glasses and this has led directly to the current drive to combine properties of glass and plastics via both (complex laminates) and chemical methods (utilization of the versatile silicate network formation to crosslink or incorporate low molecular weight polymeric species). 3 This presentation will survey material requirements in the field of transparent plastics and use the well established benefits and problems of today's materials as a pointer to the types of molecular organizations, morphologies and property enhancing coatings likely to be required in the future.