Chemistry - Plastics

Flashcards about the structure of plastics, polymerisation and addition polymerisation.

What type of materials are plastics?

Polymers

What is a polymer?

Long chain molecules formed by joining together a large number of small molecules called monomers.

What is the name given to a chemical reaction in which unsaturated monomers are joined, forming a polymer?

Addition polymerisation

What is the process of making a polymer from a monomer called?

Polymerisation

What is a repeating unit?

The shortest section of a polymer chain which, if repeated, would yield the complete polymer chain (except for the end-groups).

What are the two main types of polymers based on the type of reaction by which the polymer is made?

Addition polymers and condensation polymers.

What are addition polymers formed from?

Alkenes and substituted alkenes (i.e. alkenes where one or more of the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by other atoms of groups of atoms such as Cl, F, C2H5 etc.)

How are addition polymers made?

By the opening of the carbon to carbon double bond.

What happens to the carbon to carbon bonds during addition polymerisation?

While the monomer units contain carbon to carbon double bonds; the polymer has only carbon to carbon single bonds in the backbone.

How is the name of the polymer derived?

From the name of the monomer.