12: Polymerisation Flashcards
What is the difference between addition and condensation polymerisation?
Addition polymerisation forms only a polymer whereas condensation polymerisation forms a polymer and one other molecule. (usually water)
Give the formula of an ester link in a condensation polymer.
COO
What 2 types of organic molecule are used to form polyester?
Diol and dicarboxylic acid
Name a brand of polyester.
Terylene
Name the 2 molecules that make up terylene.
Ethane-1,2-diol and Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid
Give a use for a type of Terylene that is stable at hot and cold tempeatures.
Containers for ready meals
Give 2 uses for terylene at room temperature.
Clothes, plastic bottles
Give the formula of a peptide link.
CONH
Give the 2 types of organic molecule that make up polyamides.
Dicarboxylic acids and diamines
Name 2 types of polyamide.
Nylon and Kevlar
Name the 2 molecules that react to form nylon.
1,6-diaminohexane and hexanedioc acid
Give 5 things that nylon is used to make and explain why.
Clothing, carpet, rope, airbags and parachutes.
When making nylon, what type of organic molecule can we use to speed up the process?
Diacylchloride
Name the 2 molecules used to make Kevlar.
Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid and 1,4-diaminobenzene
Give 2 properties of kevlar.
Light but very strong
Give 3 uses of Kevlar.
Car tyres, sports equipment and bulletproof vests
Name the 2 types of organic molecule used to make amino acids.
Amine and carboxylic acid.
What does hydrolysis of polyesters and polyamides require?
Water
To speed up hydrolysis of polyamides, what conditions are needed?
Acidic conditions
To speed up hydrolysis of polyesters, what conditions are needed?
Basic conditions
Why are condensation polymers stronger than addition polymers? (What type of IMFs?)
They are made of chains containing polar bonds, meaning that they have permanent dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonds between chains.
Why is Kevlar so lightweight?
Low atomic masses
Why are addition polymers most likely to be non biodegradable?
They are chemically inert and contain non polar bonds
Why are condensation polymers biodegradable?
They can be hydrolysed.
Give some issues of landfill.
Requires lots of space, waste releases methane during decomposition, waste releases toxins that could wash into water
Why is the process of burning PVC toxic?
How is toxicity reduced?
How does this contribute to climate change?
Produces HCl gas
HCl can be passed through scrubbers which can neutralise HCl by reacting it with a base.
Produces CO2
Give some advantages to recycling plastics.
Reduces waste in landfill
Saves raw materials
Produces less CO2 than burning plastic
Cheaper than making new plastics
Give some disadvantages of recycling plastics.
It is quite difficult
Collecting and sorting waste more expensive than landfill
You cannot remake the plastic you started with
Plastic can be contaminated during recycling.
Explain why polyesters are biodegradable but polyalkenes are not.
Polyesters contain polar bonds which can be hydrolysed over time but polyalkenes do not.
