Polymers

A polymer is any substance containing very large molecules, formed when lots of
small molecules join together.

In a polymerisation reaction, thousands of small molecules join to give one large

molecule. The small molecules are called monomers. The product is called a
polymer.
1. Polymers
● Synthetic - means that it is made in a factory (nylon, polyethene, lycra,
chewing gum).
● Natural polymers - starch, cellulose, collagen

3. The reactions that produce polymers.

● Addition polymerisation;
● Condensation polymerisation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXPmBEMsRXI
4. Addition polymerisation.
In addition polymerisation, double bonds in molecules break, and the molecules
add on to each other.

● The chain lengths in polyethene

● Making other polymers by addition.
● Identifying the monomer:

1) Identify the repeating unit.

2) Then draw the unit, but put a double bond between the two carbon atoms.
That is the monomer.
5. Condensation polymerisation
Condensation polymersation:

● Doesn’t depend on C=C bonds;

● Two types of monomers join. Each has two functional groups;
● They join by their functional groups, by getting rid of or eliminating small
molecule. So there are two products: the polymer and another.
 a) Making nylon

1,6 -diaminohexane has NH2 group at each end, hexan-1,6-diyol chloride has COCl
group at each end, so only these functional groups take part in the reaction.
The reaction continues at the other ends of the molecules and in this way, thousands
molecules join and giving the polymer molecule nylon.
Because of its amide linkage, nylon is called a polyamide.
 b) making terylene

Benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid has two carboxyl groups (COOH) and ethane-1,2-dioyl

has two alcohol groups (OH), only these groups take part in the reaction.
The reaction continues at the other ends and in this way thousands of molecules join,
giving a polymer molecule terylene.
The reaction is same as the reaction between alcohol and acid. This group is called an
ester linkage, so terylene is called a polyester.
6. Making use of synthetic polymers
Synthetic polymers are usually called plastics

● They don’t conduct heat or electricity;

● They are unreactive;
● They don’t break when you drop them;
● They are strong;
● They don’t catch fire easily.

a) Changing properties by temperature and pressure.

b) uses for synthetic polymers.

- Polyethene - plastic bags, gloves, chairs, dustbins, clingfilm

- Polychloroethene - water pipes, hoses
- Polystyrene - packaging, insulation for walls
- Polypropene - crates, ropes
- Teflon - coated on frying pans to make them non-stick, flooring, windscreen
wipers
- Nylon - ropes, fishing nets and lines, tents
- Terylene - clothing
7. Natural polymers in food
Two natural polymers: carbohydrates and proteins.

7.1 Carbohydrates

● Plants make glucose from carbon dioxide and water by photosynthesis.

Sunshine is needed. Chlorophyll in the leaves acts as a catalyst.

6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2

● They use glucose to make starch and cellulose (carbohydrates)

● They use glucose, nitrates and other compounds to make amino acids.
● They use amino acids to make proteins.
a) From glucose to carbohydrates
b) Cellulose - made by condensation polymerisation of glucose. We cant digest it,
but it helps to clean our organism. We call it fibre.

c) when you eat starchy foods

7.2. Proteins
All amino acids contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen (some other
elements too). 22 different amino acids are used in building proteins.

Only COOH and NH2 take part in the polymerisation.

a) How amino acids join to make proteins
b) Digesting polymers: A reaction in which molecule breaks down through
reaction with water is called hydrolysis. During hydrolysis in your body:

● Starch is broken down to glucose, with amylase as catalyst.

● Proteins are broken down to amino acids, with proteases as catalysts.

c) hydrolysis in the lab

- Using enzymes;
- Using acid;

d) Identifying the product - by paper chromatography