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