15. Plastics Flashcards
What is meant by a monomer?
A small unsaturated molecule
What is a polymer?
A very large molecule consisting of monomers joined together
An addition polymer
Formed from unsaturated momomers
What is a “repeating unit”?
the shortest section of polymer chain which, if repeated, would yield the complete polymer chain
How are polymers named?
The prefix “poly” is put in front of monomer name
e.g but-1-ene becomes polybut-1-ene
pent-2-ene becomes polypent-2-ene
What is a “thermoplastic” polymer?
Can be reshaped upon heating
What is a “thermosetting polymer”?
Degraded when heated
Which toxic gases can be given off when plastics catch fire?
CO (always possible)
HCl (if Cl atoms are part of chain)
HCN ( if CN group is part of chain)
What does “biodegradable” mean?
Can be broken down by the action of bacteria
What are some advantages of using plastics (addition polymers)?
long lasting
easily moulded
cheap
strong
What are some disadvantages of using plastics (addition polymers)?
non-biodegradable
come from crude oil which is finite
difficult to recycle
limited heat range and can give off toxic fumes
