Polymers

Question 1

What is a mer?

Answer 1

a single unit that is repeated

Question 2

What is an oligomer?

Answer 2

2-10 mers in length

Question 3

What does saturated and unsaturated mean?

Answer 3

Saturated - full of H, no double bonds

Unsaturated - missing H, some double bonds, a carbon is not bonded to 4 other atoms

Question 4

What is the degree of polymerization?

Answer 4

[]n, the number of repeat units, n times

Question 5

What are the polymer structures?

Answer 5

Linear, branched, Crosslinked (Network)

Question 6

What are types of copolymers?

Answer 6

Alternating, Random, Block, Graft

Question 7

What is tacticity?

Answer 7

Describes the arrangement of side groups on a chain

drastically affects the physical behavior of a polymer

Question 8

Isotactic?

Answer 8

all side groups are situated on the same side on the same plane

Question 9

Syndiotactic?

Answer 9

Side groups will alternate the front and back sides

Question 10

Atactic?

Answer 10

the side groups are arranged randomly

Question 11

Polyethylene?

Answer 11

C backbone with H groups

PE, found in grocery bags, shampoo bottles, toys

Question 12

Polytetrafluoroethylene?

Answer 12

C backbone with F Groups
PTFE, a fluoropolymer like teflon
hydrophobic

Question 13

Polypropylene?

Answer 13

C backbone with 3 H groups and 1 CH3 group
PP, second most common plastic
non-polar
slightly harder and more heat resistant
Lab plastics

Question 14

Polyvinylchloride?

Answer 14

C backbone with 3 H groups and 1 Cl group
PVC
linear and strong, very hard
pipes, cables, flooring

Question 15

Polydimethylsiloxane?

Answer 15

Si and O backbone with CH3 group
PDS
silicone
clear, generally inert, non-toxic
contact lenses
viscoelastic

Question 16

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Answer 16

C backbone with 2 H, 1 CH3 and 1 C0=0
PMMA
acrylic
shatter resistant glass

Question 17

Poly(hyroxyethyl methacrylate)

Answer 17

PHEMA
forms a hydrogel
optical implants

Question 18

Polyethyleneterephthalate

Answer 18

PET
Polyester
soft plastic bottles

Question 19

Nylon 6,6

Answer 19

thermoplastic polymer

toothbrush bristles, parachutes

Question 20

Cellulose

Answer 20

Natural polymer for cell walls

Question 21

Why is the molecular weight of a polymer considered?

Answer 21

during synthesis, polymer chains will not have the same degree of polymerization
distribution affects physical behaviors

Question 22

What does size exclusion chromatography show?

Answer 22

larger molecules move faster through a medium, while smaller molecules travel through the pores of the beads for a larger path length