Pastor, Hershey A.

COE-1101

Assessment Task No. 4

1. Define the following terms:

a) Monomer
-A monomer is a small molecule that forms polymers which are the building blocks of
proteins by the repetitive bonding together with other small molecules or monomers known
as polymerization. These small molecules can be either natural or synthetic but mostly of
these molecules are organic and the simplest way to identify if a molecule is a monomer is
through looking to its structure.

b) Polymer
-Polymer is a substance or material that consists of macromolecule or very large
molecules that contain thousands of atoms formed by the repeating chain together of many
smaller molecules called monomers. Polymer occurs naturally or synthetic that is prepared
in the chemical laboratory.

c) Homopolymers
-A homopolymers is produced by the processed called polymerization and is a type
of polymer where all the monomers building this polymer are the same or identical units and
have the same structure in the chain or bonding. Mostly of the homopolymers have better
mechanical properties.

d) Copolymer
-A copolymer is polymer that is produced through the processed called
copolymerization that is made up of two or more monomers and has different structure in the
chain or bonding. This copolymer is sometimes called bipolymers. That is different from
homopolymers that only consist of monomer that is identical or the same.

2. Which of the six common polymers most likely would be used for these applications?
a) Clear soda bottles
b) Opaque laundry detergent bottles
c) Clear, shiny shower curtains
d) Tough indoor-outdoor carpet
e) Plastic baggies for food
f) Packaging peanuts
g) Containers of milk

Answer:
a) Polyethylene terephthalate PETE or PET
b) Polypropylene PP
c) Polyvinyl chloride PVC or V
d) Polypropylene PP
e) Polyethylene LDPE
f) Polystyrene PS
g) Polystyrene PS
3. Given the data below, calculate the following:

a. Number
average
molecular
mass

Mі nі nіMі
800,000 1 800,000
750,000 3 2,250,000
700,000 5 3,500,000
650,000 8 5,200,000
600,000 10 6,000,000
550,000 13 7,150,000
500,000 20 10,000,000
450,000 13 5,850,000
400,000 10 4,000,000
350,000 8 2,800,000
300,000 5 1,500,000
250,000 3 750,000
200,000 1 200,000
Mn = ∑ nіMі = 50,000,000 g/mol

b. Weight average molecular mass

niMi
Wi=
Mn

Mі Wі WіMі
800,000 0.02 16,000
750,000 0.05 37,500
700,000 0.07 49,000
650,000 0.10 65,000
600,000 0.12 72,000
550,000 0.14 77,000
500,000 0.2 100,000
450,000 0.12 54,000
400,000 0.1 32,000
 350,000 0.06 21,000
300,000 0.03 9,000
250,000 0.02 5,000
200,000 0.004 800

Mw = ∑ WіMі = 538,300 g/mol

c. PDI

Mw
PDI =
Mn

538,300 g /mol
PDI=
50,000 , 000 g /mol

PDI=0.011 g/mol

4. Consider a polymer sample comprising of 5 moles of polymer molecules having molecular

weight of 40,000 g/mol and 15 moles of polymer molecules having molecular weight of 30,000
g/mol.

a. Calculate the number average molecular mass

Mі nі nіMі
40,000g/mol 5 mole 200,000
30,000g/mol 15 mole 450,000
Mn = ∑ nіMі = 650, 000 g/mol

b. Calculate the weight average molecular mass

Mі Wі WіMі
40,000g/mol 0.31 12,400
30,000g/mol 0.69 20,700
Mw = ∑ WіMі = 33,100 g/mol

c. PDI
Mw
PDI =
Mn

33,100 g /mol
PDI=
650 , 000 g /mol

PDI=0.051 g/mol