Basic Polymer Chemistry CAST January 28, 2005 Presenters Jon

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Basic Polymer Chemistry

• CAST
• January 28, 2005

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Presenters

• Jon Valasek
• St. Marks School of Texas
• Dallas
• valasekj_at_smtexas.org
• Debbie Goodwin
• Chillicothe High School
• Chillicothe, MO
• nywin_at_hotmail.com

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Polymer Ambassadors

• www.polymerambassadors.org
• Mission Statement
• The Polymer Ambassadors, with resources from
  educational, industrial, and professional
  societies, promote polymer education with
  teachers, students, and community audiences.

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Materials Science Teacher Camps

• Sponsored by ASM International Foundation
• http//www.asminternational.org
• Click on Foundation tab
• Click on Materials Camp tab
• One week in the summer
• No cost

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MST Summer Camps

• Albuquerque, NM Eldorado High School June 12 -
  16
• Ann Arbor, MI U of Michigan July 17 - 21
• Calgary, Canada S Alberta Institute Tech August
  21 - 25
• Charlotte/Monroe Wingate University June 19 -
  23
• College Park, MD U of Maryland June 27 - 30
• Columbus, OH Ohio State University TBA
• Dallas, TX University of Texas July 17 - 21
• Denver, CO Colorado School of Mines June 26 - 30
• Edmonds, WA Edmonds Community College July 17 -
  21
• Edmonton, Canada University of Alberta July 24 -
  28
• Gainesville, FL U of Florida June 26 - 30
• Houston, TX U of Houston June 26 - 30
• Long Beach, CA California State University July
  10 - 14
• Piscataway, NJ Rutgers University August 7 - 11
• Toronto, Canada University of Toronto August 14
  16
• Youngstown, OH Youngstown State University July
  17 - 21

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Polymers

• Poly many
• Mer - parts
• Long chain molecules made of many smaller
  repeating units

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Classification

• Natural vs. Synthetic
• Type of Polymerization
• Addition
• Condensation
• Response to Heat
• Thermoplastics
• Thermosets

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Where do polymers come from

• Natural gas
• Linked together by polymerization
• Start with C2H4

H
H
C
C
H
H
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Carbon Chains and Boiling Temperatures

• Petroleum gas - used for heating, cooking, making
  plastics
• small alkanes (1 to 4 carbon atoms)
• commonly known by the names methane, ethane,
  propane, butane
• boiling range less than 104 degrees Fahrenheit
  / 40 degrees Celsius
• often liquified under pressure to create LPG
  (liquified petroleum gas)
• Gasoline - motor fuel
• liquid
• mix of alkanes and cycloalkanes (5 to 12 carbon
  atoms)
• boiling range 104 to 401 degrees Fahrenheit /
  40 to 205 degrees Celsius
• Kerosene - fuel for jet engines and tractors
  starting material for making other products
• liquid
• mix of alkanes (10 to 18 carbons) and aromatics
• boiling range 350 to 617 degrees Fahrenheit /
  175 to 325 degrees Celsius
• Gas oil or Diesel distillate - used for diesel
  fuel and heating oil starting material for
  making other products
• liquid
• alkanes containing 12 or more carbon atoms
• boiling range 482 to 662 degrees Fahrenheit /
  250 to 350 degrees Celsius
• Lubricating oil - used for motor oil, grease,
  other lubricants
• liquid

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Chain Lengths

• Beaded chain
• 10,000 carbon atoms typical polyethylene
  molecule

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Polymerization Making Chains

• Addition polymerization
• Connecting monomers without producing a
  by-product
• Usually involves breaking a double bond
• Requires an initiator
• Hand-holding simulation chain reaction

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HDPE vs. LDPE

• Chains
• Density
• Crystalline vs. amorphous

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Polymerization Making Chains

• Condensation Polymerization
• Method of forming molecules between 2 different
  monomers
• A smaller molecule is also formed as a by-product
• Also known as a step reaction
• Example PETE
• Nylon demo

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Holding chains together

• covalent bonds stronger ex. rubber
• intermolecular forces weaker ex. slime
• entanglement ex. HDPE
• (analogy 50 pieces of yarn each 6 feet long
  jumble and wad them up throw them down in a
  pile on the ground try to pull out one piece
  what happens???)

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Slime

• 4 Polyvinyl alcohol solution
• Add different amounts of 4 borax solution to 50
  mL of PVA solution
• 2
• 4
• 8
• 12
• 20

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Slime

• Analyze and compare
• Viscosity (ability to flow)
• Coolness (evaporative cooling)
• Elasticity (return to shape after stress)
• Plasticity (retains new shape after stress)

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Polyvinyl Alcohol

• Math
• evaporation
• Viscosity
• Temperature change
• Hospital
• Laundry bags
• Industry
• Mold release

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Additional Labs Demos

• Sodium alginate snakes
• Gak
• Latex balls
• Happy/sad balls
• Others.