Addition Polymers

Polymerisation

• Alkenes open up there double bond to join together and form long chains called polymers

• Monomers units make up the polymer chain

• E.g ethene monomers polymerise to form poly(ethene)

Drawing polymers

• Repeating units - smallest section of a polymer that repeats

• To draw the repeating unit

  • Replace the double bond with a single bond

  • Extend single bonds from each carbon atom

  • E.g poly(propene)

    

Naming addition polymers

• add poly in front of molecule name and enclose monomer name in brackets

• E.g butene forms poly(butene)