Polymers

• Addition polymerisation 


  Monomers is usually an alkene.

  Naming a polymer would first have the word poly and in brackets the name of the monomer e.g. this would be poly(phenylethene)

  
• Condensation polymerisation 


  This would be between dicarboxylic acids and diols. With the OH taken from the carboxylic acids and H from Diols and it forms a polyester

  
• Uses of addition polymers

  Polyethene

  • Packaging
  • Garbage bags
  • Insulation for wires

  Polypropene

  • Packaging
  • Fibres for carpet and clothing
  • Batteries

  Polychloroethene

  • Packaging
  • Blister packs

  Polypropenenitrile

  • Acrylics

  Polyphenylethene

  • Packaging
  • Insulation
  • Refrigerators
• Polyester

  Ethane-1,2,-diol reacts with Benzene - 1,4, - carboxylic acid to form Terylene (polyester)

  
• Uses of Terylene

  • Carpets
  • Clothing
• Polyamides

  The hydrogen is removed from the diamine and the OH is removed from the dicarboxylic acids

  1,6-diaminohexane reacts with Hexane-1,6-dicarboxylic acid to form Nylon -6,6

  
• Uses for Nylon -6,6

  • Clothing
  • Carpets
  • Conveyor belt
  • Brushes
• Kevlar

  Kevlar is also a polyamides formed from 1,4 -diaminobenzene reacting with Benzene-1,4-carboxylic acid
• Uses for Kevlar

  • Bulletproof vest
  • Armour
  • Gloves
• Why can addition polymers last long in the environment?

  • Due to containing many C-C and C-H bonds they are non polar and relatively strong which makes them difficult to break
  • So they are unreactive molecules