How to succeed in this module 2106 Applied
Chemistry
• Attend lectures
• Study groups
• Practice exams (new ones will be written).
• Don’t cheat, plagiarize, or otherwise
participate in un-ethical behavior
• Ask questions
Polymers & their applications
By
HMK
Why use polymers?
• Easy to process
(thermoplastics /thermosets)
• Cheap
• Lightweight
• Tough
• Flexible
• Transparent (sometimes)
• Insulating (generally)
Polymer
Comes from two words: Poly & mer
Poly= many
Mer= repeat unit
repeat repeat repeat
unit unit unit
H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H
C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C
H H H H H H H Cl H Cl H Cl H CH3 H CH3 H CH3
Polyethylene (PE) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polypropylene (PP)
Polymer
A molecule of high Mw, structure of which comprises
of multiple repetition of units derived from molecules
of low relative Mw (monomers)
Polymer
Chemistry: structure connected by covalent bond
Kinetics: produced from chemical reaction of small units,
called “monomer” (polymerization reaction)
Property: - high strength
- high viscosity in melt or solution states
Composition: -Most polymers are hydrocarbons (made up of H and
C)
How do we classify polymers?
• By origin
• Physical behavior
• Structure/Architecture
• Application/function
• Polymerization mechanism
• Polymerization chemistry
• Cost
Origin of Polymers
Biopolymers
– Protein: horn, cartilage, hair, hide, ligaments, tusks
– Composite structures: bone, shells
– Plant materials:
• Cellulose (cotton, sisal, hemp) fiber
• lignin & cellulose (wood)
• Chitin (insect & crustacean exoskeletons)
Synthetic Polymers
Coal
Petroleum
Natural gas
Petroleum from petra oleum (rock oil)
Origins: Two Families of Polymers
Biological Polymers Synthetic
*
*
n
n
Me
latex rubber polystyrene
Physical Behavior
• Thermoplastics
Polystyrene
Polyvinylchloride
• Thermosets
Phenolic Resins
Melamines
epoxies
Architecture
Applications/Function
O
• Structural * *
N
H n
Nylon-6
*
*
• Coatings O
n
O
Poly(vinyl acetate) or PVA
O O
• Fibers * O O
O
n *
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PETE
O O O O
N N N N N N N N
H H H H
N N
O NH HN O
• Adhesives
Urea-Formaldehyde
Taxonomy by polymerization mechanism
Addition polymerization
Condensation polymerization
Saturated hydrocarbons/ paraffins
– Each carbon bonded to four other atoms
H H
H
C C CnH2n+2
H H
H
Unsaturated Hydrocarbons (alkenes or olefins &
alkynes )
• Double & triple bonds relatively reactive – can form new bonds
– Double bond – ethylene or ethene - CnH2n
H H
C C
H H
• 4-bonds, but only 3 atoms bound to C’s
– Triple bond – acetylene or ethyne - CnH2n-2
H C C H
Isomerism
– two compounds with same chemical formula can have quite different
structures
Ex: C8H18
• n-octane
H H H H H H H H
H C C C C C C C C H = H3C CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2 CH2 CH3
H H H H H H H H
H3C ( CH2 ) CH3
6
• 2,4-dimethyl hexane
CH3
H3C CH CH2 CH CH3
CH2
CH3
Addition polymers
• Formed from un saturated monomers with no
small molecules condensing out
• E.g. polyethylene from ethylene
•
ethylene polyethylene
Condensation Polymerization
Water is “Condensed out”
during polymerization of Nylon
• Some of the original monomer’s materials are shed
(condensed out) during polymerization process – thus the
name
• Water or CO2 are commonly condensed out but other
compounds can be condensed out including HCN, HCl and
other acids
Condensation Polymerization
Poly-functional group
•monomers:
1,4-phenylene-diamine (para-
phenylenediamine) and terephthaloyl chloride:
•hydrochloric acid condenses out
Degree of Polymerization, n
n = number of repeat units per chain
H H H H H H H H H H H H
H C C (C C ) C C C C C C C C H
H H H H H H H H H H H H
Mw
n
m
Where: Mw = molecular weight of the polymer
m= molecular mass of the monomer
Tacticity
Tacticity (from Greek taktikos "of or relating to arrangement
or order)
H H H H H H H H
isotactic – all R groups on
C C C C C C C C
same side of chain
H R H R H R H R
H H H R H H H R
syndiotactic – R groups
C C C C C C C C
alternate sides
H R H H H R H H
H H H H H R H H
atactic – R groups random C C C C C C C C
H R H R H H H R
cis/trans Isomerism in polymers
CH3 H CH3 CH2
C C C C
CH2 CH2 CH2 H
cis trans
cis-isoprene trans-isoprene
(natural rubber) (gutta percha)
bulky groups on same side of bulky groups on opposite sides
chain of chain
Copolymers :two or more monomers polymerized together
• random – A and B randomly
vary in chain random
• alternating – A and B alternate
in polymer chain
alternating
• block – large blocks of A
alternate with large blocks of B
block
• graft – chains of B grafted on
to A backbone
A– B– graft
Major applications of polymers
1. Plastics
2. Rubbers
3. Fibers
4. Surface finishes and protective coatings
5. Adhesives
6. Composites
1. Most Commonly-Used Recyclable Plastics
Symbols for Properties of Plastics
Gas Barrier Gas Permeable
Moisture Barrier Chemical resist.
Heat resistance Grease&Oil resist.
Clarity Ease of forming
Heat Insulation Hard
Toughness Flexible, Ductile
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Use:
• soft drink bottles
•dishwashing containers,
• laser toner cartridges,
•picnic tables,
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
• Uses:
wide application in blow molded bottles for milk, water and
fruit juices, toys, liquid detergent bottles
• Recycled Products:
Recycling bins, benches, bird feeders, floor tile, liquid laundry
detergent containers.
Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC)
• Uses
– Rigid PVC:60 percent of total PVC
(pipe and fittings, siding, carpet backing, windows, bottles and
packaging sheet)
– Flexible PVC:
(wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings,
synthetic-leather products, coatings, blood bags, medical tubing
etc.)
• Recycled Products:
recycling containers, roadway gutters
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
• Uses:
plastic retail bags and grocery bags, some flexible lids, wire
and cable applications, frozen food bags, grocery bags.
• Recycled Products:
garbage can liners, floor tile, furniture, film, compost bins,
trash cans
Polypropylene (PP)
Uses: flexible and rigid packaging, fibers and large
molded parts for automotive and consumer products
E.g. yogurt containers and medicine bottles
Recycled Products: battery cables, brooms and brushes
Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene
• Uses: can be rigid.
• Typical applications include protective packaging, containers, lids,
bottles, trays ex. Video cassette cases, compact disc jackets, coffee
cups, knives, spoons and forks, cafeteria trays, grocery store meat
trays and fast-food sandwich containers.
• Recycled Products: Thermometers, light switch plates, insulation, egg
cartons, vents, desk trays, rulers, license plate frames, concrete.
2. Rubbers (or elastomers)
Natural rubbers
-can be highly stretched (upto 700%)
reaction with sulfur vulcanization
3. Fibers
Cellulose plastics
- commonly found in plant’s cell wall
- Cotton consists of 90% cellulose, 10% lignin and polysaccharides
Structure of cellulose:
Has 3 OH-groups
in each ring
4. Surface finishes and protective
coatings
Paints– need the following qualities:
-quick drying
-cling well to surfaces
-prevent erosion and corrosion
5. Adhesives
• Adhesive :is in liquid form when applying, then becomes solid and
form joint between two surfaces afterwards.
Cross link to form network polymers (occurs in polymers with
more than 2 functional groups)
Application: adhesive, paints, fiber-reinforced composite, ion-
exchanged resin
E.g.
Milky-white glue – PVAC (Polyvinyl Acetate)
Clear glue – PVOH (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
6. Composites
• Engineered materials that contain at least 2 phases
• Aim: To increase mechanical properties e.g. strength, toughness,
high-temp application
• Generally, one material forms a continuous matrix while the other
provides the reinforcement
• The two materials must be chemically inert with respect to each
other so no interaction occurs upon heating until one of the
components melts,
• a small degree of interdiffusion at the reinforcement-matrix
interface to increase bonding
Waste Management Hierarchy
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Incinerate with energy recovery
Incinerate without energy recovery
Landfill
