Intro Defs & Types of Polymers

Question 1

wide range of unique properties caused…

Answer 1

inc. demand for more sophisticated polymers

gov’t/industrial corporations funded research

Question 2

major disadvantage of synthetic polymers

Answer 2

how do we dispose of them?

Question 3

polymer def

Answer 3

result of the buildup of many single units (monomers) to form long chains

Question 4

macromolecule

Answer 4

large molecule

Question 5

oligomer

Answer 5

less than ~100 monomers

Question 6

polymerization

Answer 6

chemical process of monomers reacting with each other to form polymers

Question 7

as monomers react …

Answer 7

units repeat

Question 8

degree of polymerization

Answer 8

a repeat unit is denoted by: parenthesis and subscript “n”

Question 9

homopolymer

Answer 9

monomers in the chain are the same

ex. polystyrene
simplified: -A-A-A-A-A-

Question 10

copolymer

Answer 10

two different monomers bonded into long chains

ex. styrene + acrylonitrile = a type of vinyl

Question 11

alternating copolymer simplified

Answer 11

-A-B-

Question 12

random copolymer simplified

Answer 12

random distribution of monomers

-A-A-A-B-B-A-A-B-B-B-

Question 13

block copolymer simplified

Answer 13

• A-A-A-A-B-B-B- (this is a diblock copolymer)

- A-A-A-B-B-B-A-A-A- (triblock copolymer)

Question 14

graft copolymer

Answer 14

is a branched copolymer

Question 15

network copolymer

Answer 15

links chains together

Question 16

monomer reactive sites

Answer 16

double bond = vinyl

2 reactive sites = bifunctional

3 = trifunctional

4 = tetrafunctional