Polymers

Question 1

What are the monomers of addition polymers?

Answer 1

alkenes

Question 2

What are the 2 lines extending out of the square brackets called?

Answer 2

trailing bonds

Question 3

What are the properties of poly(alkenes)?

Answer 3

saturated
non-polar
unreactive
do not degrade well in landfill

Question 4

What are the 2 types of condensation polymers?

Answer 4

polyamides and polyesters

Question 5

What is condensation polymerisation?

Answer 5

2 different monomers with at least 2 functional groups react together
when they react a link is made and water is eliminated

Question 6

What monomers are polyamides produced from?

Answer 6

diamides and dicarboxylic acids

Question 7

What are the monomers for producing polyesters?

Answer 7

a diol and a dicarboxylic acid

Question 8

What links form in a polyamide?

Answer 8

amide links

Question 9

Why do monomers in condensation polymerisation need 2 functional groups?

Answer 9

so they have functional grous either side of the molecule which allows chains of monomers to be formed by links

Question 10

What link is formed in the production of polyesters?

Answer 10

ester links

Question 11

What is produced when you hydrolyse a condensation polymer?

Answer 11

the original monomers

Question 12

How many water molecules are produced per 1 condensation polymer produced?

Answer 12

2n

Question 13

What can happen if a monomer has a carboxylic group and a amine group?

Answer 13

it can react with itself to form an amide link = polymamide formed

Question 14

What is the structure of a ester linkage?

Answer 14

O=C-O-
(another bond from C)

Question 15

Why is it more efficient to use an acyl chloride condensation than using carboxylic acids in condensation polymerimerisation to produce polyesters and polyamides?

Answer 15

a higher yield and does not require a conc acid catalyst

Question 16

What is the by product of condensation polymerisations using acyl chlorides?

Answer 16

HCl

Question 17

What is the structure of a amide linkage?

Answer 17

O=C-NH-

Question 18

What are the 2 ways a polyester can be formed?

Answer 18

carboxylic acid and alcohol
alcohol and acyl chloride

Question 19

what is the most important polyamide?

Answer 19

proteins

Question 20

What monomers are proteins made from?

Answer 20

alpha amino acid molecules

Question 21

What are the 2 ways polyamides can be formed?

Answer 21

a monomer with both an amine and carboxylic acid group
using 2 monomers = diamine and dicarboxylic acid

Question 22

What does it mean that polyesters and polyamides are chemically degradable?

Answer 22

they can undergo hydrolysis when heated under reflux with aq HOT acid/ alkali to be broken down into their respective monomers

Question 23

What is added and produced to acid catalysed hydrolysis of a polyester?

Answer 23

added = h2o
produced = 2 monomers

Question 24

What is added and produced to base catalysed hydrolysis of a polyester?

Answer 24

added = OH-
produced = salt and diol

Question 25

What is added and produced to acid catalysed hydrolysis of a polyamide?

Answer 25

added = H2O and H+ (HCl) produced = dicarboxylic acid and +NH3-R-NH3+ (amine salt)

Question 26

What is added and produced to base catalysed hydrolysis of a polyamide?

Answer 26

added = OH- produced = carboxylic acid salt + diamine

Question 27

What is an advantage of using addition and condensation polymers?

Answer 27

they are produced easily and cheaply from alkenes and petroleum

Question 28

what is an issue of addition and condensation polymers?

Answer 28

they are non-biodegradable = will remain in landfill for an extremely long time and can harm animals if accumulating in oceans

Question 29

How can sustainability of throwing away plastics be improved?

Answer 29

recycle burn them and the heat released can be used to generate electricity chemical feedstock = converted chemically into other useful products eg: alkenes

Question 30

What is the issue with burning chlorinated polymers?

Answer 30

HCL is produced and needs to be removed

Question 31

How can HCL be removed when burning chlorinated polymers?

Answer 31

neutralisation with aq alkali = NaOH

Question 32

What are biodegradable polymers?

Answer 32

can be broken down by microorganisms (enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis)

Question 33

What are photodegradable polymers?

Answer 33

broken down by UV light

Question 34

What is hydrolysis?

Answer 34

the chemical breakdown of a substance by adding water

Question 35

what is the use of polyamides?

Answer 35

fibres in clothing

Question 36

What 2 functional groups does an amino acid have?

Answer 36

carboxyl and NH2