Addition polymers Flashcards

1
Q

Polymers are large molecules made from many…

A

Monomers

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2
Q

What are addition polymers made from?

A

Monomers based on ethene.

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3
Q

Draw the general formula for an addition polymer monomer.

A

w

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4
Q

How do ethene monomers form an addition polymer?

A

Their carbon to carbon double bonds break and the monomers form together to form a backbone of carbon atoms.

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5
Q

How would the formation of an addition polymer be shown as a formula?

A

j

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6
Q

What does many ethene molecules polymerise to form?

A

poly(ethene)

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7
Q

What does many phenylethene polymerise to form?

A

Poly(phenylethene)

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8
Q

What is another name for phenylethene?

A

Styrene

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9
Q

What is another name for poly(phenylethene)

A

Polystyrene

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10
Q

What is poly(ethene) typically used for?

A

Carrier bags and washing up bowls

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11
Q

What is the common name for poly(ethene)?

A

Polythene

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12
Q

What is the common name for poly(propene)?

A

Polypropylene

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13
Q

What is poly(propene) typically used for?

A

Yoghart containers and car bumpers

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14
Q

What is the common name for poly(chloroethene)?

A

PVC (polyvinylchloride)

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15
Q

What is poly(chloroethene) typically used for?

A

Aprons, vinyl records and drainpipes

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16
Q

What is the common name for poly(propenenitrile)?

A

Acrylic

17
Q

What is poly(propenenitrile) typically used for?

A

Clothing fabrics

18
Q

What is the typical use for poly(phenylethene)?

A

Packaging and electrical insulation

19
Q

What are plasticisers?

A

Small molecules that can modify polymers

20
Q

How do plasticisers modify polymers?

A

They get between the polymer chains and force them apart. This allows them to slide across each other (making them more flexible)

21
Q

Why are polyalkenes not biodegradable?

A

They have strong, non-polar C-C and C-H bonds and so they are very unreactive molecules and are not attacked by biological agents, such as enzymes.

22
Q

How do you create low density poly(ethene)

A

Polymerising ethene via free-radical reactions at high pressure and high temperature.

23
Q

Low desity poly(ethene) has rather a lot of chain branching due to the random nature of free radical reactions. What affect does this have on the properties of low density(polyehtene)?

A

The branched chains do not pack together well and so it is quite flexible, stretches well and has low density.

24
Q

What are the typical used for low density poly(ethene)?

A

Plastic bags, sheeting and insulation for electrical cables

25
Q

How is high density poly(ethene) made?

A

At high temperatures and pressure little greater than room conditions and with the aid of a Ziegler-Natta catalyst.

26
Q

High density poly(ethene) has little chain branching. How does this affect the properties of high density poly(ethene)?

A

The chains are able to pack together well and so the density if the plastic is greater and it’s meting point higher.

27
Q

What are the typical used of high density poly(ethene)?

A

Milk crates, buckets and bottles

28
Q

How could we reduce the amount of plastics being sent to landfills?

A

Reuse or recycle the plastics

29
Q

What are the two different types of recycling?

A

Mechanical and feedstock

30
Q

What is the process of mechanical recycling?

A

The different types of plastics are separated and wash them. They are then ground up into small pellets and melted and remoulded.

31
Q

What is the process of feedstock recycling?

A

The plastics are heated to a temperature that will break the polymer bonds ad produce monomers. The monomers are then used to make new plastics.

32
Q

What is the problem with recycling plastics?

A

Some plastics can only be heated up a certain amount of times because after each time it is heated it changes shape (some of the chains break and become shorter). This degrades the plastics properties.