Polymers

• How do addition polymers form?

  When unsaturated monomers react to form a polymer
• C=C are in addition monomers
• Why are addition polymers non-biodegradable?

  chemically inert due to C-H and C-C bonds, so non-polar
• Condensation polymerisation

  when 2 different monomers with the same functional groups are added together and a small molecule is given off as a side product
• examples of products that are given off in condensation polymerisation

  -water

  -HCl
• monomers of polyester

  dicarboxylic acids and diols
• reactants to form polyester and HCl

  diacyl chloride and diol
• What is needed to be used when using carboxylic acid to form ester or amide and what type of mixture would it give?

  acid catalyst and equilibrium mixture
• The more reactive acyl chloride goes to completion so it does not need a catalyst but produces hazardous HCl
• Name a polyester

  Terylene
• Monomers of Terylene

  -benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid

  -ethane-1,2,diol
• What is terylene used for?

  clothes, fabric, tire cords
• monomers of Nylon6,6

  -hexanedioic acid

  -hexane 1,6 diamine
• Monomer for kevlar

  -benzene-1,4 dicarboxylic acid

  -1,4 diamine benzene
• examples of polyamides

  -nylon6,6

  -kevlar
• monomers of polyamides

  dicarboxylic acids and diamines
• Types of polymers

  polyester, polyamides, polypeptides
• Types of polymerisation

  addition and condensation
• Why can condensation polymers biodegrade?

  polar bonds caused by C-O and C-N, attracts nucleophiles
• Why are condensation polymers polar?

  C-O and C-N bonds
• Why are addition polymers non-polar?

  C-H and C-C
• What can be used to hydrolyse polymers?

  -water

  -acids

  -alkalis
• What is formed when polymers are hydrolysed with acids and alkalis?

  monomers in salt form
• When polymers are hydrolysed in acidic conditions?

  one of the monomer gains a proton (NH3+)
• When polymers are hydrolysed in basic conditions?

  one of the monomers lose a proton (COO-)
• What forces do polyesters have?

  permanent dipoles between C=O groups and VDW in between chains
• What forces are in polyamides?

  Hydrogen bonds in oxygen in O-H groups and H in N-H groups in different chains and VDW in between chains
• Why do polyamides have higher melting points than polyesters?

  Polyamides have hydrogen bonds in oxygen in O-H and in H in N-H groups and VDW forces.

  Polyesters have permanent dipoles in C=O groups and VDW.

  Hydrogen bonds are stronger than permanent dipoles.
• Land fills

  -most common

  -reaching max capacity

  -councils charging more for using them

  -most polymers are non-biodegradable so takes many years to break down

  -could use more biodegradable plastics
• Incinerators

  -rubbish burnt and energy can be released

  -toxins can be released.

  -Modern incinerators can burn more efficiently and most toxin and pollutants can be removed

  -greenhouse gases

  -Vol of rubbish reduced
• Recycling

  -Save raw materials and precious resources

  -Polymers need to be collected, sorted so expensive in terms of man power and energy

  -polymers can only recycled into the same type, so careful separation need to be done

  -Thermodynamic polymers can be melted down and reshaped