SC24 Polymers Flashcards
What are plastics made from?
Plastics are made from polymers
What are polymers?
A polymer is a large molecule made from lots
of small molecules, called monomers, joined together
What is polymerisation?
The process of monomers joining together
What is the polymer of starch made out of?
Starch is a polymer made from a sugar called glucose
What is the polymer of protein made out of?
Proteins are polymers made from amino acids
What is the polymer of DNA starch made out of?
DNA is a polymer made from 4 different monomers
called nucleotides
What are the properties of poly(ethene) and give me a use for it.
properties
flexible, cheap, good insulator
Plastic bags/bottles
What are the properties of poly(propene) and give me a use for it.
properties
flexible, shatterproof, high softening point
buckets and bowls
What are the properties of poly(chloroethene) and give me a use for it. PVC
properties
tough, cheap ,long lasting ,good insulator
pipes
What are the properties of poly(tetrafluoroethene) and give me a use for it.
properties
tough, slippery, resistant to corrosion, good insulator
non-stick coating for saucepans
What are esters?
A homologous series with a ‘fruity smell’. They are found naturally
in fruits but are artificially made on a large scale from the reaction of
carboxylic acids with alcohols
What are the properties of esters?
Are immiscible (do not mix) with water. Are volatile
(have a low boiling point so evaporate easily, hence the reason why we can smell them easily)
What are some uses of esters?
In cosmetics (perfumes), food flavourings, solvents
(e.g. nail varnish remover, board markers)
How are polyesters made?
made by condensation polymerisation in which the
monomers join together and eliminate a small molecule, e.g. watery
