Polymerisation

Question 1

What are monomers

Answer 1

Repeating structural units

Question 2

What is a polymer

Answer 2

Large molecules consisting of repeating structural units/monomers connected by covalent bonds

Question 3

What is polymerisation?

Answer 3

Process of bonding monomers/single units together through a variety of react mechanisms to form polymers

Question 4

Describe addition polymerisation

Answer 4

1. Initiation - formation of radicals (homolytic) or nucleophiles/electrophiles
2. Propagation - monomers are continually added to form a longer and longer polymer chain - a radical binds a molecule creating a radical molecule
3. Termination - reaction that destroys the reactive part of the polymer chain so that propagation stops - two radicals combine

Question 5

What is condensation polymerisation?

Answer 5

Two monomers molecules form a covalent bond and a small molecule such as water is lost in the process

Question 6

Describe formation of polyester

Answer 6

An ester functional group is in the main chain
Most common is PET (has a benzene carboxylic acid) made from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid (makes polyethylene tetraphthalate)- it is resistant to stretching and shrinking

Question 7

Give us some examples of addition polymers

Answer 7

Polyethene, polystyrene (has a benzene ring attached to one carbon in the repeating unit) and polypropene, polyvinyl chloride (chlorine attached to one carbon)

Question 8

Describe nylon formation

Answer 8

Bifunctional groups of anime (1,6 diaminohexane) and an acid (adipic acid - dibutanoic acid) that combine to form amide linkages —> nylon