3.12 Condensation Polymers

Question 1

What is a condensation reaction?

Answer 1

A small molecule is eliminated when monomers form a polymer

Eg
H2O, HCl, CH3OH

Question 2

What are some types of condensation polymers?

Answer 2

Polyester

Polyamide

Question 3

What is the functional group and linkage of an ester?

Answer 3

R-COO-R

C=O
|
O

(With COO in the middle)

Question 4

What do you need to form a polyester?

Answer 4

A carboxylic acid
An alcohol

With a functional group on both ends so they are reactive

Therefore a dioic acid and a diol

Question 5

How do you add the monomers of a dioic acid and a diol together to form a polyester?

Answer 5

You remove water molecules

Remove a OH from one side and then a H from the other side of both the monomers

Put the repeating unit in square brackets with the end bonds going out the ends

Question 6

Example of a polyester?

Answer 6

Terylene

Used in clothing

Question 7

What do we have to do with repeating units?

Answer 7

Work out the original monomers that were used

Question 8

What is an amide bond?

Answer 8

C=O
|
N—H

Question 9

What monomers are polyamides comprised of?

Answer 9

A dioic acid
(A carboxyl group on each end of an R group- COOH)

A diamine
(An amine group on each end of an R group - NH2)

Question 10

In Nylon 6,10 what do the numbers refer to?

Answer 10

The number of carbons in each R group

The first number(6) - the RNH2 monomer
The second number(10) - the RCOOH monomer

Question 11

How should you write the polymers if many carbons are included in the carbon chain?

Answer 11

Shorten the chain by putting CH2 in normal brackets and putting the required number outside on the right next to it

H
|
C      -this is brackets 
|
H

Question 12

What must you remember in the condensation reaction of polymers?

Answer 12

To write the polymer in the square brackets

AND

The 2 small eliminated molecules
I.e 2H2O

Question 13

What could be used as the monomers as an alternative in polyamides?

Answer 13

A diamine
And
An acyl chloride (instead of a dioic acid)

This on the end
R-C=O
|
Cl

Eg CH3COCl - ethanoyl chloride

Question 14

What is produced as the eliminated molecule from a diamine and a acyl chloride?

Answer 14

HCl is produced as the eliminated molecule

HCl produces white misty fumes

Question 15

Give two examples of polyamides?

Answer 15

Kevlar - used in bullet proof vests

Nomex - used as a fire retardant and for F1 drivers balaclava’s

Question 16

What is significant about disposal of addition polymers?

Answer 16

They are non biodegradable
As they are un reactive with strong non-polar bonds

Disposed of in landfill sites or some can be melted down and remoulded

Could be burnt but CO2 and/or CO is released

Question 17

What is significant about disposal of condensation polymers?

Answer 17

Polyesters and polyamides can be broken down by hydrolysis (potentially biodegradable)