Polymer Formation Flashcards

Flashcards about Polymer Formation

Plastics

General term for polymers, often used to describe items made from these materials.

Versatile and Easy to Manufacture

Polymers are used in the construction of many different objects because they are inexpensive, adaptable, and easily produced.

Polymers

Covalent molecular substances that are composed of many small molecules all joined together.

Monomers

Small molecules that join together to form polymers.

Polymerization

A process through which polymers are formed by joining together thousands of smaller molecules (monomers)

Addition Reactions

A reaction of an alkene with another molecule where all of the atoms of both molecules are present in the final molecule.

Addition Polymerization

The reaction of the monomer ethene with itself to form polyethene.

Plastic

A material that can be molded into different shapes readily.

Low-Density Polyethene

Polymer made under high pressure and at high temperatures that contains many small chains that divide off from the main polymer, called branches, resulting in weaker dispersion forces and a relatively low density; also known as LDPE.

High-Density Polyethene

Polymer made under milder conditions using Ziegler-Natta catalysts with very few branches, allowing the molecules to pack together tightly, increasing the density and the hardness of the polymer formed; also known as HDPE.

Condensation Polymerization

Occurs when monomers with functional groups on each end of the molecule join, with the functional groups reacting with each other, also forming a small molecule such as water.

Condensation Polymers

Polymers that are formed when there are functional groups on each end of a monomer, with a small molecule also produced in this process.

PET (polyethene terephthalate)

A condensation polymer formed when benzene-1,4-dioic acid reacts with ethane-1,2-diol, linked by ester groups.

Natural Polymers

Natural polymers such as cellulose, silk, chitin, protein and starch.