StarterStarter

1. Which raw material are most plastics made from?

2. Give one important property associated with:a) Kevlarb) poly(ethanol) c) biopol

3. Give an advantage that a woollen sweater has over one made from synthetic fibres.

Making PlasticsMaking PlasticsMade of many MONOMERS (small molecules)

Join together

POLYMER (very long chain molecule)

2 types of polymerisationAddition polymerisationCondensation polymerisation

Polymer: very large molecule formed by the joining of many small molecules called monomers.

Monomer: small molecules which can join together to form a very large molecule (polymer) by a process called polymerisation.Polymerisation: process by which many small molecules (monomers) join to form one large polymer.

Addition PolymerisationAddition Polymerisation• The small unsaturated molecules

(monomers) join together by the opening of the carbon to carbon double bond.

• Once double bonds break, monomers add on

C C

H

H H

H

C C

H

H H

H

C C

H

H H

H

C C

H

H H

H

+ C C

H

H H

H

C C

H

H H

H

Polyethene

Forming poly but-2-eneForming poly but-2-ene

• Monomers need to be changed to an ‘H’ shape.

Naming PolymersNaming Polymers

• The name of the addition polymer is related to the name of the monomer.

Name of Monomer Name of Polymer

Ethene Polythene or poly(ethene)

Chloroethene or Vinyl chloride

Poly(chloroethene) or Poly(vinyl chloride) (P.V.C.)

Propene Polypropene

Phenylethene or Styrene

Poly(phenylethene) or Polystyrene

Repeating UnitRepeating UnitThe name given to the REPEATED PATTERN

in a polymer strucure.

e.g.

Original monomer

Repeating unit

Poly(vinylchloride)

PVC polymer