What are Tm Polymers?
Tm polymer is the temperature at which a solid plastic material changes into a softer, flexible form or a solid amorphous form. The conversion occurs because the bond holding the plastic due to intermolecular force becomes loose or breaks down. The intermolecular forces in Tm polymers are very strong which helps them withstand high temperatures, and resist chemicals, wear, and tear. They are used in a variety of industries because of these properties.
The value of Tm polymer depends on several factors, including molecular structure, the chemical structure of the polymer, and the crystallinity of the polymer. For example, polymers with long chains and a high degree of crystallinity have higher Tm values because of stronger intermolecular forces and ordered arrangement of molecules in the crystal lattice. They are classified into two categories based on their Tg values i.e. Amorphous Tm polymers ( low Tg values and do not exhibit any crystalline structure) and Semi-Crystalline (high Tg values and exhibit crystalline structure) Tm polymers.
Difference Between TG and TM Polymers
Tg and Tm are two significant parameters used to understand how polymers behave. Tg stands for glass transition temperature whereas Tm stands for melting temperature. How stretchy and strong it is determined by the property of the polymers. The properties of the polymer are varied by many things such as molecular weight, flexibility, and crystallinity. Understanding these properties will help us to understand how different polymers behave in different situations.
If a polymer has different melting points then it is made up of multiple components with different molecular weights or structures this means Tg is typically lower than Tm and it is rigid at room temperature. If Tg is higher than Tm that means it doesn’t have a distinct melting point and on heating shows a transition from solid to a rubbery state.