ADDITION POLYMERS 1
Polymers (plastics) are used to make many things, including bags, bottles, CDs and DVDs, and the casing of electrical items
(such as computers, televisions and mobile phones).
Polymers are large molecules made from lots of small molecules called monomers joined together. The process in which
monomers join together is called polymerisation
polymerisation.. There are two types of polymers: addition (no other products formed) and
condensation (a small molecule such as water is lost).
g C=C double bonds can react with each other and join together to form polymers
Alkenes and other molecules containing
through their C=C double bonds. Many common polymers, such as polythene, are made from alkenes.
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
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
This can be written as an equation (n is a big number, often
several hundred or thousand):
n
H
H
H
H
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
ethene
n
poly(ethene)
Polymer =
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
Monomer =
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
Addition polymerisation =
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
''''''''.''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''...
TASK – (a) Complete the table overleaf and (b) write a balanced equation for each polymerisation
© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk
12-July-2015
Chemsheets AS 1097
monomer
monomer name
structure
H
H
H
H
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
n
H
repeating unit
H
H
H
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
CH3
H
CH3
H
CH 3
H
CH 3
H
CH 3
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
C6H5
C
C
H
H
H
Cl
C
C
H
H
F
F
C
C
F
F
COOCH3
C
C
H
CH3
everyday name
polypropylene
polystyrene
chloroethene
(old name = vinyl
chloride)
PVC
tetrafluoroethene
PTFE / Teflon
H
COOCH3
C
C
H
CN n
Super glue
methyl 2-methyl
propenoate
© www.CHEMSHEETS.co.uk
uses
polythene
phenylethene
(old name = styrene)
methyl 2-cyanopropenoate
H
polymer name
PMMA, Perspex
12-July-2015
Chemsheets AS 1097