Addition Polymers Flashcards
What are polymers
Substances of high relative molecular mass made by joining up loads of repeating units called monomers
These monomers have a double covalent bond
What is Addison polymerisation
When unsaturated monomer molecules open up their C=C double bond and join together to form polymer chains
Why are polymers hard to get rid of
They are inert so don’t react easily, this is because the C=C bonds in the chain are very strong and aren’t easily broken
This means it takes a very long time for addition polymers to biodegrade, if you bury them in a landfill site, they will still be there years later
Burning plastics releases toxic gases, so you can’t burn them
As it is difficult to dispose of polymers, the best thing you can do is reuse them as many times as possible and then recycle them if you can
What is condensation polymerisation
The monomers react together and bonds form between them, making polymer chains
For each new bond that forms, a small molecule is lost
How do polyesters form
When dicarboxylic acid monomers and diol monomers react together
What are polyesters that are biodegradable known as and what is the benefit of them
Biopolyesters can be broken down by bacteria and other living organisms on the environment over time
This means they decompose and don’t stay in landfill forever, reducing the polymers’ pollutant effect
