04/19/23Monomers and PolymersMonomers and Polymers

Ethene

Ethene is called a MONOMER because it is just one small molecule. We can use ethene to make plastics…

Step 1: Break the double bond

Step 2: Add the molecules together at high temperature & pressure:

This molecule is called POLYETHENE, and the process that made it is called POLYMERISATION

04/19/23Another way of drawing it…Another way of drawing it…Instead of circles, let’s use letters…

Ethene

C C

HH

HH

C C

HH

HH

Ethene

H

C C

H

HH

H

C C

H

HH

Poly(e)thene

General formula for addition polymerisation:

C Cn C C

n

C Cn

H CH3

HH

C Cn

H CH3

HH

polythene

polypropene

Ethenemonomers

Propenemonomers

04/19/23

04/19/23