1. THERMOSOFTEN OR THERMOSET?
Vulcanised rubber
Plastic toys
Nylon clothes
Bakelite
Chocolate box tray
Epoxy resin glue
HOW DO THEIR PROPERTIES LINK TO THEIR USES?

2. Teacher notes
This activity could be used as a plenary exercise to check students’ ability to make a link between a polymer’s properties and its uses. Class voting or the use of mini whiteboards could make this a whole-class exercise.

3. What factors might determine the properties of a plastic?
Effect
reaction conditions
Temperature, pressure and catalysts affect the length and branching of the polymer chain.
monomer
The type of monomer used affects the type of forces between polymer chains.
additives
Additives can ‘lubricate’ polymer chains, join them together with cross-links, or preserve them from decay.

4. New & useful polymers (Plastics, polymers & packaging food)
Prior learning:
Know the difference between thermosoft & thermoset plastics
Keywords & definitions:
Hydrogels, smart polymers, shape memory polymers

5. Learning Objectives: Identify and explain
• That there are new polymers being developed and being used in innovative ways.
• What smart polymers are and what they are used for
I will be successful in this lesson if I can:
Work together as a team with all members effectively contributing in order to solve a problem (Team work, Effective Participator, Interpersonal)
Learner Champion: Assess the effectiveness of a group for the above criteria and comment on how to improve (Reflective Leaner, Interpersonal)
• Give an example of a polymer that is used because of its properties (Grade C).
• Give an example of a polymer that has been designed for a specific job (Grade C).
Evaluate the suitability of different polymers for particular uses (Grde A).

6. RED Green Green YELLOW YELLOW Blue Blue RED
Starter: Learner Champions
Each group needs to send a representative with a sheet of work paper to another group (as shown) to mark work.
RED Green
Green YELLOW
YELLOW Blue
Blue RED

7. How many words can you make from this plastic
How many words can you make from this plastic? Poly(ethyleneterephthalate)
P.E.T is very strong, tough & can be made transparent.
THEY SOMETIMES CALL ME ‘P.E.T’!
What properties does P.E.T have?
Why would the use of P.E.T overtake older technologies????
CAN YOU GUESS WHAT WE ARE USED FOR?
P.E.T is much lighter than glass & so costs less to transport
WHAT PROPERTIES DO WE NEED?
YOU HAVE 60SECS

8. Polymers or Monomers?
LEARNER CHAMPIONS ASSESS GROUPS
1. A very long chain hydrocarbon
POLYMER
Were you able to work together as a team with all members effectively contributing in order to solve a problem
• Can you give an example of a polymer that is used because of its properties? (Grade C).
2. Contains a double bond
MONOMER
3. Reactive molecule
MONOMER
4. PET
POLYMER
5. Ethene
MONOMER
6. Plastic
POLYMER
7. Joins together to make a plastic
MONOMER

9. Design a waterproof coat using a mindmap
PROPERTIES
Lab Tests
Environmental
impact
Purpose for new
material

10. Design a waterproof coat
10 mins
As a team, decide on the following roles;
Writer (writes the groups plan onto A3 paper)
Organiser (makes sure everyone is working, is on task, and also keeps track of time limit)
Checker (the only person who can ask questions of anyone outside their group – teacher or students)
Listener/Whisperer (whispers ONE important point to another group after listening to the previous groups whisperer)
Remember…EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR PLAN
What properties would your coat need to have and what could you test in the lab?
How would you test them?
For each test;
What would you change (independent variable)?
What would you measure (dependant variable)?
What would you expect?
How will you record your results?

11. You can’t ask for it to be repeated so listen carefully!
What did you plan?
LEARNER CHAMPIONS ASSESS GROUPS
Like Chinese whispers…
As a team decide on ONE important point that you have discovered from your team’s investigation.
AND
1 person to whisper!
Were you able to work together as a team with all members effectively contributing in order to solve a problem
• Can you give an example of a polymer that has been designed for a specific job? (Grade C).
Say this 1 point to the next table ONCE. This table will then add their point and tell BOTH to the next table etc. till the final person adds the points to our mindmap
You can’t ask for it to be repeated so listen carefully!

12. RESOURCE 1 Use a real world example to explain this problem…
There are 5 resource slides that I will read to you. You need to obtain information in your pairs in the following roles;
Writer (writes information heard)
Drawer (draws information heard)
You will be asked to
evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of the use, disposal and recycling of polymers.
consider the purpose & evaluate the uses of the materials in order to develop a new packaging idea
….Before feeding back to the class
We can design the properties of polymers by choosing different monomers and by changing the conditions used to make them.
Polymers are widely used for food packaging to keep food in good condition. Some of these polymers are biodegradable & cause problems with waste disposal.
Use a real world example to explain this problem…

13. RESOURCE 2
The polymers used for drink bottles are strong, flexible, lightweight, clear and non-porous (does not let liquid through)
Polymers have been developed for coat fabrics to make them waterproof but able to let gases through (breathable)
Name real world example where this would be useful….
Why have polymers overtaken traditional materials?

14. RESOURCE 3
New polymers have been developed for medical use, including hydrogels which are used in medicine, agriculture and food.
Hydrogels absorb liquid from the wound and swell, producing a soft, non-stick cushioning gel. Antiseptics can be added that are released directly into the wound).

15. RESOURCE 4
Smart materials (polymers) are plastic and metal items designed to instantly change their properties when triggered by a stimulus.
They respond to different stimuli, such as
temperature,
pressure,
magnetism and
voltage/current.
They can also be used to control the release of drugs.

16. RESOURCE 5
Shape memory polymers are used for stitching wounds. When these are used, the wound is stitched loosely, the body temperature then causing the thread to tighten & close applying the right amount of force. When the wound is healed, the material is designed to dissolve & is harmlessly absorbed by the body.

17. Brainstorm & Record 10 mins
Use only what you & your talking partner have recorded, answer;
(Purple) Use a real world example to explain the problem with non-biodegrable plastics & suggest a solution (consider environmental impacts on disposal)
(Green) Name a real world example where it would be useful to design products based on properties required. (consider social impact on use)
(Red) Why have some polymers overtaken traditional materials? (Consider economic & environmental impacts on recycling)
(Yellow) What are smart polymers and how are they used? (Consider economic impacts of their use)
(ALL) Evaluate which if any of these types of polymers could be used for packaging fruit. Imagine a property that would be beneficial for this use.

18. SELF ASSESSMENT
Almost all products are packaged in some way for protection during transportation, handling or storage.
Were you able to work together as a team with all members effectively contributing in order to solve a problem
• Can you evaluate the suitability of different polymers for particular uses (Grade A).
New types of ‘smart’ packaging are able to mechanically, chemically and electronically respond to their contents.
For example, a sensor fitted into fruit packaging detects chemicals released by the fruit as it ripens, and changes colour. This allows the customer to choose when to eat the fruit according to their preference.

19. plenary
Teacher notes
This multiple-choice quiz could be used as a plenary activity to assess students’ understanding of designer materials. The questions can be skipped through without answering by clicking “next”. Students could be asked to complete the questions in their books and the activity could be concluded by the completion on the IWB.

20. LOOKING AT THE EXAM QUESTION…. WHAT WOULD YOU AWARD MARKS FOR?
Extension 1
economic argument against recycling (only ONE):
• poly(ethene) / plastic must be collected / transported / sorted / washed
• this uses (fossil) fuels which are expensive
environmental argument against recycling (only ONE):
• uses (fossil) fuels that are nonrenewable / form CO2 / CO / SO2 / NOx / particulates
• washing uses / pollutes water
counter arguments any two from:
• collect / transport alongside other waste
• use biofuels (instead of fossil)
• landfill is running out
• landfill destroys habitats
• incinerators are expensive to build
• saves raw materials / crude oil
• saves energy needed to make new plastic
• incinerators may produce harmful substances
• incinerator ash goes to landfill
• poly(ethene) is non-biodegradable
• poly(ethene) can be made into other useful items
• more jobs / employment for people
LOOKING AT THE EXAM QUESTION….
WHAT WOULD YOU AWARD MARKS FOR?
(4 marks)

21. Learning Objectives: Identify and explain
• That there are new polymers being developed and being used in innovative ways.
• What smart polymers are and what they are used for
I will be successful in this lesson if I can:
Work together as a team with all members effectively contributing in order to solve a problem (Team work, Effective Participator, Interpersonal)
Learner Champion: Assess the effectiveness of a group for the above criteria and comment on how to improve (Reflective Leaner, Interpersonal)
• Give an example of a polymer that is used because of its properties (Grade C).
• Give an example of a polymer that has been designed for a specific job (Grade C).
Evaluate the suitability of different polymers for particular uses (Grde A).

22. How do they know which plastic to use?
Extension 2
How do they know which plastic to use?
A packaging company has been asked by a manufacturer to produce a material for packaging organic food.
The packaging has to be biodegradable or can be recycled.
It also has to have the following properties:
A good tensile strength.
It has to be waterproof.
The customer has to be able to see the product inside.
You have to devise three simple experiments to test these three properties that could be done in a school laboratory.
Your descriptions should include a simple description of:
The apparatus that you would use.
The method used.
How you could tell if the material was suitable for the manufacturer’s requirements.

23. RED – Green YELLOW - Blue
Designing packaging
Each person is to explain their ideas to a peer on another table as follows;
RED – Green
YELLOW - Blue

24. Additional
Resource

25. Hydrogels are a network of superabsorbent water-soluble polymers that can be natural (e.g. made by seaweed) or synthetic. They are found in many products, such as:
nappies and sanitary towels
contact lenses
water-release granules for plants
Hydrogels can be made into thin films, which make ideal wound dressings. They absorb liquid from the wound and swell, producing a soft, non-stick cushioning gel. Antiseptics can be added that are released directly into the wound.

26. state (solid, liquid, gas)
MORE ON…
Smart materials are plastic and metal items designed to instantly change their properties when triggered by a stimulus.
Common properties that can be significantly altered in smart materials include:
size and shape
state (solid, liquid, gas)
viscosity
conductivity
Different smart materials can respond to different stimuli, such as temperature, pressure, magnetism and voltage/current.

27. Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are rigid plastics that transform into other shapes when heated.
When SMPs are heated above their ‘transition’ temperature, they become very stretchy and flexible, allowing them to take on dramatically different shapes.
When the polymer is cooled it becomes fixed in this new shape and is very strong. When reheated it will automatically return to its original ‘memorized’ shape.

28. Thermocolour film is made from a thin layer of liquid crystals on a black background.
When heated, the structure of the liquid crystals changes, causing different wavelengths of light to be reflected and therefore changing the colour.
Thermocolour pigments can be contained in microcapsules bound to clothing fibres. When the clothing is heated, the structure of the pigment molecules alters, changing the colour of the clothing.
Photo credit: Middlesex University Teaching Resources (

29. Polymorph is a biodegradable polymer that becomes soft and mouldable when heated to about 60 °C, for example with hot water or a hair dryer.
The polymorph can then be moulded into any shape required. As it cools, it sets hard and can be drilled, sawn and filed.
If the polymorph is heated again it will become semi-liquid and can be fully reshaped. Where might polymorph be useful?
Photo credit: Middlesex University Teaching Resources (

30. The ‘memory’ of an SMP comes from the mechanical energy stored when the polymer was first produced.
Because SMPs have such flexible properties they can be reshaped hundreds of times without degrading. Many SMPs are also biodegradable.
SMPs could be used in a range of products such as non-iron clothing (washing would trigger the fabric to de-crease) to biodegradable surgical stitches that gently tighten at body temperature, closing the wound.

31. Teacher notes
This completing sentences activity could be used as a plenary or revision exercise on polymers and plastics. Students could be asked to write down the missing words in their books and the activity could be concluded by the completion on the IWB.