Polymers

Question 1

Condensation polymers include:

Answer 1

Polyamides, polyesters and polypeptides.

Question 2

Reactions between dicarboxylic acid’s and diamines make:

Answer 2

Polyamides.

The carboxyl group of dicarboxylic acid reacts with the amino groups of the diamines to form amide links. Dicarboxylic acids and diamines have functional groups at each end of the molecule, so long chains can form.

Question 3

Reactions between dicarboxylic acids and diols make:

Answer 3

Polyesters.

The carboxyl group of the dicarboxylic acid can also react with the hydroxyl groups of diols to form ester links. Polymers joined by ester links are called polyesters.

Question 4

How are the original monomers formed (from polyamides or polyesters)?

Answer 4

Hydrolysis produces the original monomers.

Condensation polymerisations can be reversed by hydrolysis-water molecules added back in.

Question 5

How does hydrolysis produce the original monomers?

Answer 5

Water molecules are added back in and the link is broken.

Question 6

Condensation polymers contain what bond?

Answer 6

Condensation polymers contain polar bonds. They are generally more rigid and stronger than addition polymers.

Question 7

Why are polymers difficult to dispose of?

Answer 7

Addition polymers are made of non-polar carbon chains and so are chemically unreactive however this means they aren’t biodegradable.

Condensation polymers do have polar bonds which makes them open to attack my nucleophiles, this means they are biodegradable but the process is long.

Question 8

How can plastics be disposed of?

Answer 8

Waste plastics can be buried.

Waste plastics can be burned.

Waste plastics can be recycled.