1. Polymers

2. What are polymers?

3. What do we make polymers from?

4. What are the different types of polymer?

5. resources/science/ages-14-to-16/chemical-and- material-behaviour/polymerisation/

6. Polymers
(Greek) poly = “many” meros = “part”
Each polymer molecule is made from a repeating unit: a monomer
Monomers are small molecules (not single atoms).
polymerisation
monomers
Single polymer chain

7. Size and shape matter
Polymer chains are like long bits of string. The polymer’s properties depend on many factors:
length of chains
type of monomer(s)
side-links and branches
temperature
time taken for polymer to cool down
other chemicals present

8. Arrangement of the chains
The length of the chain can be controlled. The chains are thousands or millions of units long.
DNA: a very complex polymer up to 220 million units long.

9. Chain length
They twist and bend and tangle with each other, but can also line up neatly.
Chains aligned (crystalline)
Chains entangled (amorphous)

10. Branching and cross-linking
Sometimes they can have branches, or they can be linked to other chains.
Different types of branching
Cross-linked chains

11. Which of the following molecules could be used as monomers
Which of the following molecules could be used as monomers? Explain your answer.
A B C

12. Thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic?
The solid lines represent covalent bonds.
A thermosoftening plastic: A thermosetting plastic:
Note:
Polyethene is a thermoplastic plastic.
Bakelite is a thermosetting plastic.
Use the diagrams to explain the following observations.
Polyethene is flexible
Bakelite is rigid
Polyethene melts when heated.
Bakelite does not melt when heated
Use
Thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic?
Ash tray
Carrier bag
Electric plug
Packaging

13. Making slime PVA is a polymer
We add borax which forms the borate ion in solution

14. The chemistry of slime What has happened to the PVA?
How has the structure changed?

15. Polymers
Putting all the information you know together, make a double spread page about polymers.
Use connectives to improve the quality of writing and make your point.