Transparent semi‐crystalline polymeric materials and their nanocomposites: A review

Abstract

Optical transparency is an important property for a material, especially in certain fields like packaging, glazing, and displays. Existing commercial transparent polymeric materials are mostly amorphous. Semicrystalline polymers have often-superior chemical resistance and mechanical properties particularly at elevated temperatures or after solid-state drawing but they appear opaque or white in most cases. This review describes the present state-of-the-art of methodologies of fabricating optically transparent materials from semicrystalline polymers. A distinction is made between isotropic, biaxially stretched, and uniaxially stretched semicrystalline polymers. Furthermore, some functionalities of transparent nanocomposites based on semicrystalline polymers are also discussed. This review aims to provide guidelines regarding the principles of manufacturing transparent high-performance semicrystalline polymers and their nanocomposites for potential applications in fields like packaging, building, and construction, aerospace, automotive, and opto-electronics.

Metal Doped PVA Films for Opto-Electronics-Optical and Electronic Properties, an Overview

“…PVA is an atactic polymer (most atactic polymers do not crystallize, remaining in their amorphous state due to the absence of chain regularity) that can crystallize because its OH-groups are sufficiently small to not disturb the crystal lattice, and it has good optical transparency [ 25 ]. The refractive index of the PVA matrix is situated in the medium domain for polymers, n = 1.48–1.50 in the visible spectral range [ 26 ], and it has a high transparency, starting from approx.…”

“…PVA density is 1.19-1.31 gm/cm 3 ; it has a melt and decomposes rapidly above 200 °C as it can undergo pyrolysis at [23]. The basic properties of PVA depend upon the degree of polymeri tribution of hydroxyl groups, as well as stereoregularity and crystallin PVA is an atactic polymer (most atactic polymers do not crystallize, remaining in their amorphous state due to the absence of chain regularity) that can crystallize because its OH-groups are sufficiently small to not disturb the crystal lattice, and it has good optical transparency [25]. The refractive index of the PVA matrix is situated in the medium domain for polymers, n = 1.48-1.50 in the visible spectral range [26], and it has a high transparency, starting from approx.…”

Imaging‐Based Metrics Drawn from Visual Perception of Haze and Clarity of Materials. I. Method, Analysis, and Distance‐Dependent Transparency

“…Optical transparency of materials is a key property for a wide range of applications such as displays, glass replacement, and optics, as well as ordinary packaging. [ 1–3 ] It characterizes the ability of light to pass through a material without substantial scattering, which otherwise obscures the features of objects located behind the material as seen by the observer. It is generally accepted that a single metric is insufficient for comprehensively quantifying transparency.…”

Formation of uniform polymer assembly with silica nano‐sol‐supported metallocene catalysts in a stirred‐tank reactor

“…[ 2 ] In addition, PP products can be optically transparent using a variety of processing approaches. [ 3 ] Typically, PP is manufactured in a continuous slurry reactor or in a gas‐fluidized bed reactor using Ziegler‐Natta catalysts supported on MgCl 2 , which have non‐uniform active sites and thus produce polymer with wide molecular weight distribution (MWD). [ 1,4‐7 ] Additional beta‐scission step of polymer induced with peroxide is used industrially for obtaining PP with narrower MWD.…”