I’m currently studying for a fire academy and have been researching further on glass transition temperature. I understand what is being said but I do not fully grasp what is happening on the molecular level of the poly material. I understand once additional heat is introduced the polycarbonate will reach a melting point around 230°C/446°F.
If someone can explain the glass transition temperature and what is happening to the material in this state I would greatly appreciate it.
In: Chemistry
The glass transition temperature is a temperature where an amorphous material structurally relaxes, and can begin to flow in “laboratory timescales.”
Think of it kinda like a bowl of spaghetti with a little bit of starchy water in it. When it cools off, all the pasta sticks together and moves as a single unit. When it’s hot, the pasta strands are able to slide past each other, letting it behave more like a whole bunch of noodles that are slightly attached to each other instead of a giant chunk.
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