3.3.12 Polymers Flashcards
What is a polyester made up of?
Dicarboxylic acids and diols
What is a polyamide made up of?
Dicarboxylic acids and diamines
What does the hydrolysis of polymers under acidic conditions form?
Alcohol + carboxylic acid
What does the hydrolysis of polymers under alkaline conditions form?
Alcohol + carboxylate ion
What are the repeating units in terylene?
Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid + ethane-1,2-diol
What are the repeating units in Kevlar?
Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid + 1,4-diaminobenzene
What are the repeating units in nylon 6,6?
Hexanedioic acid + 1,6 diaminohexane
What are the typical uses of nylon 6,6?
Clothing, carpet, rope, airbags, parachutes
Why are the typical uses of Kevlar?
Bulletproof vests, boat construction, car tyres, lightweight sports equipment
What are the typical uses of terylene?
Plastic bottles, clothing, sheets, sails, ready meal containers
What forces exist between polymer chains? (3)
Van Der Waals
Permanent dipole-dipole - due to polar bonds
Hydrogen bonds
What is the disadvantage of addition polymers
They are inert due to their non-polar bonds so they are non-biodegradable
Why are condensation polymers biodegradable?
The polar bonds make the polymer susceptible to attack by nucleophiles
Burying waste plastic - advantages (2)
Relatively cheap
Easier
Burying waste plastic - disadvantages (3)
Requires areas of land
Releases methane as it decomposes
Can release toxins that can be washed away and contaminated water supplies
Burning waste plastic - advantages (1)
Heat used to generate electricity
Burning waste plastic - disadvantages (1)
Toxic gases released have to be removed
Recycling plastic - advantages (4)
Reduces amount of waste going to landfill
Saves raw materials (good because oil is non-renewable)
Cost of recycling is lower than making from scratch
Less CO2 emissions than burning
Recycling plastic - disadvantages (4)
Technically difficult
Collecting, sorting and processing is more expensive than burning/landfill
Often unable to remake the initial plastic so something else has to be made
Plastic is easily contaminated during recycling process
