Polymer Ductility: Its Vital Roles Everywhere

If polymer materials are compared to a skilled actor, then ductility is its core acting skill - it can bend and stretch, and can be freely extended and extended, and can play a variety of roles in different scenes. This ability of the material to "bend without breaking" when subjected to force seems to be just a simple physical property, but it quietly supports all aspects of our lives. ​

In the plastic bottle production workshop, polyester material (PET) is performing a wonderful "transformation show". The originally ordinary bottle blanks are blown by compressed air at high temperature, and they expand into round bottles like magic.

Behind this, the PET molecular chains are like a group of well-trained dancers, stretching neatly along the direction of tension, and can be stretched up to 5 times the original length. If this material is too "strong" and breaks into pieces before it is blown into a complete shape, I'm afraid we will have to use glass bottles to drink beverages.

The birth of car bumpers is also inseparable from this magic - when polypropylene flows in the mold, it is as flexible as a stream bypassing a stone. It does not collide with corners and thin walls, but easily resolves stress with ductility, and finally becomes a "protective clothing" that is both strong and fit. ​

The moment the mobile phone slides off the table, the polycarbonate (PC) shell is silently performing the "force-removing method". It is not like a ceramic shell that will be shattered by a little bump, but uses slight deformation to absorb the impact like a sponge. Experiments show that this tough PC material has an anti-fall ability that is more than 8 times that of brittle materials. No wonder today's mobile phones are increasingly able to withstand the "test".

Building sealants have brought this toughness to the extreme: it expands in the summer when it is hot and shrinks in the winter when it is cold. It can stretch a quarter of its length in a year, just like a breathing skin, always tightly fitting the gaps in the building to prevent rain from entering. ​

The surgical sutures in the doctor's hand hide the exquisite "knotting wisdom". When the suture made of PLGA material is tightened and knotted, it will not break like iron wire, and it can firmly lock the wound, just like an elastic rope with just the right tightness.

The polyurethane elastomer in wearable devices is even more powerful. It can be stretched to 6 times its original length with the body movements. It is like a second layer of skin attached to the skin, and there is no restriction on running and bending. If it is replaced with a hard material, I am afraid that smart watches will become "restraint belts" long ago. ​

The oil pipeline buried underground is "arm wrestling" with soil settlement every day. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines are not as stubborn as steel pipes. When encountering foundation movement, they bend along with the situation and use deformation to resolve the crisis. Data shows that this flexible pipeline has an 80% lower accident rate than metal pipelines, which is equivalent to installing a "safety valve" for energy transportation.

The polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulation layer on the outside of the wire is also very reliable. No matter how much the workers drag and bend when laying the cable, it will not crack like glass, and the current will always be locked in. Cross-linked polyethylene in high-voltage cables can be called an "emergency expert". Even if the temperature rises suddenly during a short circuit, it can still hold on until the protective device is activated to avoid a fire.

When plastic bottles are recycled, polyethylene materials are showing their "tough" nature. They are repeatedly melted and cooled in the extruder, just like dough is repeatedly kneaded, and they can still maintain basic toughness and be made into new containers.

In contrast, those brittle plastics are broken into slag as soon as they are processed and can only be used as fillers. This difference makes flexible plastics more popular in the circular economy, just like durable cloth can be repeatedly sewn and is more environmentally friendly than disposable paper towels. ​

Under a microscope, the toughness of polymers hides the "collaborative secrets" of molecules. The molecular chains in the amorphous region are flexible like rubber bands, and the chips in the crystalline region are like stacked cards, which will slide quietly when subjected to force.

Scientists are like conductors, adjusting the length of the molecular chains and the cross-linking density to make the material neither too soft nor too brittle. For example, lengthening the molecular chain can enhance toughness, and moderate cross-linking can increase strength, just like mixing a cocktail, the right proportion can make it taste great.

The folding action of the flexible screen hides the "extreme challenge" of the material. When the polyimide film is folded repeatedly, it is like a piece of paper in the hands of an origami master, which can maintain the display function even after folding a hundred times. The silicon-based elastomer on the soft robot is even more exaggerated, which can be stretched to 10 times its original length and twisted like an octopus tentacle.

These innovations not only require the material to be able to stretch and shrink, but also to take into account the ability of conductivity and light transmission, just like an all-around athlete, who must perform well in multiple fields. ​

In the final analysis, the ductility of polymers is like the "emotional intelligence" of materials - knowing how to adapt but not compromise, being able to adapt to various environments and sticking to core performance. From mineral water bottles to space materials, this kind of flexible wisdom is constantly refreshing our imagination of materials and quietly changing the appearance of the world.

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