Polymers

Question 1

What is a Condensation reaction

Answer 1

When a small molecule eliminated ( Usually H2O ) to form a larger molecule

Question 2

What is a condensation polymer

Answer 2

formation of all long chain molecule from reacting lots of small molecules (monomers) together
within each reaction a small molecule is released

Question 3

What is an addition polymer

Answer 3

Formation of long chain molecules from lots of small molecules (Monomers) with no other products released

Question 4

What properties should monomers of a condensation polymer have?

Answer 4

Has two functional groups

Question 5

Give 3 examples of polymers

Answer 5

Polyesters
Polyamides
Polypeptides

Question 6

What is the linkage in a polyester

Answer 6

Question 7

What are the two monomers which form a polyester

Answer 7

Diol & Dicarboxilic acid

or a molecule with both alcohol and carboxylic acid functional groups

Question 8

What is Terylene?

What is it used in?

Draw its monomers

Answer 8

A polyester

Used in plastic drink bottles, clothes and sheeting

Has the acronym PET

Question 9

Draw the repeating unit of Terylene

Answer 9

Question 10

What is the Linkage in a polyamide

Answer 10

Peptide

Question 11

What are the two monomers to form a polyamide

Answer 11

DiAmine and DiCarboxilic Acid

Question 12

Name 2 Examples of Polyamides

Answer 12

Nylon & Kevlar

Question 13

Which Monomers make up Nylon-6,6

What is Nylon?
What is it used in?

Answer 13

Hexanedioic Acid & 1,6-diaminohexane

Polyamide
Used in ropes carpets, clothing and parachute fabrics

Question 14

Draw the Polymer Nylon-6,6

Answer 14

Question 15

What are Kevlar Monomers?

What is Kevlar?
What are its used?

Answer 15

Benzene-1,4-dicarboxilic acid 1,4-diaminobenzene

Polyamide
Used in bulletproof vests, car tyres, racing helmets and some sports equipment
Lightweight and Strong

Question 16

Draw the repeating unit of kevlar

Answer 16

Question 17

Why is Kevlar So Strong

Answer 17

Rigid chains and Close Packings of flat aromatic rings

Question 18

What are polypeptides, What is the Linkage

Answer 18

Peptide
When many amino acids join together to form a long chain of molecules with peptide links and covalent bonds
Consists of only amino acids joining

Question 19

Draw a Dipeptide

Answer 19

Question 20

Why are poly(alkenes) Not biodegradable

Answer 20

Non polar C-H and C-C bonds with similar electronegativities

No permanent dipole that attracts nucleophile, or be broke down by enzymes

No portion of high electron-density that can react with electrophile

This means it cannot be hydrolysed & broken down

Question 21

Why is it bad to burn polyalkenes

Answer 21

Releases Greenhouse gasses, CO2 .
Carbon Soot, C
and Carbon monoxide ,CO with other toxic chemicals from monomers

Question 22

Where do most polyalkenes end up?

Answer 22

In Landfill as burning is unhealthy for the environment

Question 23

Why can Condensation Polymers be broken Down

How are Condensation Polymers broken down?

Answer 23

They have Polar Bonds
Hydrolysis (opposite of condensation)

Question 24

Why doesn’t industry execute hydrolysis under standard conditions

Answer 24

Very Slow Rate in Standard Conditions

Question 25

What is the Difference Between Addition and Condensation Polymerisation?

Answer 25

Both form large molecules from monomers containing two function groups

Addition polymers breaks a Double bond to form only 1 product

Condensation polymers eliminate a small molecule to connect the monomers together

Question 26

Explain the Hydrogen Bonding Between Polyamides (2)

Answer 26

Both C=O and N-H are Polar bonds Due to large differences in electronegitivity between the atoms.

The induced dipole is so strong that Delta Positive C and H form hydrogen bonds with the lone pair of electrons on another molecule ( Oxygen)

Question 27

How Do Polyesters not show Hydrogen Bonding

Answer 27

All O-H bonds are removed leaving no delta positive atoms for lone pairs to hydrogen bond too.

Question 28

What are the advantages & Disadvantages to using addition polymer plastics such as polyalkenes

Answer 28

Unreactive

Can be used in containing consumable products

No Polar bonds so not biodegradable
Goes to landfill and doesn’t degrade well.

Question 29

What are the disadvantages to landfill?

Answer 29

Non Sustainable - Large amounts of land needed
Non Environmentally Friendly - Waste decomposes and produces methane and water can be contaminated by the leaching of plastics

Question 30

What are the Advantages and disadvantages to Incineration of waste

Answer 30

Can be used to create power

Burning plastics can release toxic fumes

needs Flue gas scrubbers to neutralise acidic toxic gases

Question 31

Name 4 Advantages of Recycling Plastic

Answer 31

Cheaper then Making Plastics from Scratch

Less Carbon dioxide produced then incineration

Reduces reliance on landfill

Preserves non-rentable raw materials

Question 32

Name 4 Disadvantages of Recycling Plastics

Answer 32

Can be contaminated with other materials when being recycled

Difficult to sort plastics due to a large variety

Difficult to remake original o plastic from recycled material

Expensive compared to incineration or landfill

Question 33

Explain How the structure of these polymers give rise to their uses

Answer 33

HDPE has molecules that are more closely packed then LDPE, as LDPE has branched molecules

This means HDPE has larger VDW intermolecular forces between molecules

This makes HDPE more rigid then LDPE.

Molecules in LDPE have more space to move so it is more flexible.