Polymers - Sources and Origins Flashcards
Where are most polymers obtained from
Crude oil
Where are the biggest reserves of cruse oil
Middle east
South America
Give some environmental impacts
Seismic tests (underground explosions) are carried out to find crude oil in remote explosions
Bore holes are drilled into the ground to see if the oil is commercially accessible
Transportation is carried out by pumping cruse oil across vast areas of land in pipelines and shipping it across oceans in oil tankers
Excavate the area
How is cruse oil transformed into something useful
Fractional Distillation
In fractional distillation, it is transformed into different………….products
Petrochemical
Give one specific petrochemical product that is used to make polymers
Naphtha
Naphtha is still made up of a mixture of……………..
Hydrocarbons
Where does the process of polymerisation take place
Polymerisation reactor
Involves a chemical reaction that links the monomers together into polymer chains
Different monomers linked together in different ways to give each polymer……………….
Unique properties
Give some factors to consider when selecting a material for a commercial product
Cost
Availability
Environmental impact
The properties of polymers can be altered by the addition of……………
Additives
What do plasticisers do
Enhance the flexibility of a polymer
Pigments
Change the colour
Fillers
Make the polymer stronger and improve impact resistance
Glass strands typical fillers
Flame Retardants
Prevent or slow down the rate at which they burn
Stabilisers
Resist UV degradation
Antistatic’s
Reduce static
What would you use to mark out a polymer
Spirit based pen or china glass pencil
Mark the surface without scratching it
Plastic rule - metal rule could damage the surface of polymer
What plastic is ideal for cutting on the laser cutter
Acrylic
Some cannot be cut by laser and will have to be cut with saws or knives
Give some ways in which you can shape polymers
Line bending = forming a straight bend in thermoforming polymer
Vacuum Forming = More complex shapes (HDPE)
Metal work files
Woodworking planes
How con welding be done on polymers
Solvent adhesive such as Tensol cement
the surface of the polymer must be free form dust or dirt and the solvent is applied with a spatula
Tw surfaces are pressed together
Solvent will melt the two surfaces and they will fuse together forming a joint
Give a commercial method of welding
Hot air gun to melt the two surfaces or by using hot metal clamps to form a seal on thin polymer sheets
What is casting
Can be used to certain thermosetting polymers to form incarnate shapes
Us process to make jewellery
You must first have a mould
Give the casting process
Pour the required volume of resin into s suitable pot
Add a colour pigment if required
Add the correct quantity of hardener
Mix ingredients with a spatula
Pour mixture into mould and allow to set
Surface can be polished
Give some stock forms of polymers
Sheets - standard sheets of acrylic
Granules - Used in process such as injection moulding
Extrusions - Tubes, rods
Powders - Thermoset polymers generally found in powder form
Foams - Vary in thickness
Used in protective packaging and swimming pool floats
Films - Variety of thicknesses
PLA Filament - More recent common stock form
Used in 3D printing
Give one advantage of using a polymer hinge
Use the adhesive to join the two parts together instead of having to use nuts and bolts
