Professor: Michael Eastman Ph.D. Assistant: David Chavez-Flores Polymers Professor: Michael Eastman Ph.D. Assistant: David Chavez-Flores

Polymer Polymers are made up of many many molecules all strung together to form really long chains. Poly- means "many" and -mer means "part" or "segment".

Polymers: Introduction Polymer: High molecular weight molecule made up of a small repeat unit (monomer). Homopolymer A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A Monomer: Low molecular weight compound that can be connected together to give a polymer Oligomer: Short polymer chain Copolymer: polymer made up of 2 or more monomers Random copolymer: A-B-B-A-A-B-A-B-A-B-B-B-A-A-B Alternating copolymer: A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B-A-B Block copolymer: A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-B-B-B-B-B-B-B-B

Types of Polymers Polymer Classifications Thermoset: cross-linked polymer that cannot be melted (tires, rubber bands) Thermoplastic: Meltable plastic Elastomers: Polymers that stretch and then return to their original form: often thermoset polymers Thermoplastic elastomers: Elastic polymers that can be melted (soles of tennis shoes) Polymer Families Polyolefins: made from olefin (alkene) monomers Polyesters, Amides, Urethanes, etc.: monomers linked by ester, amide, urethane or other functional groups Natural Polymers: Polysaccharides, DNA, proteins

Common Polyolefins

Polyesters, Amides, and Urethanes

Natural Polymers

Making polyvinyl acetate Monomer - Vinyl Acetate Solvent - Water Initiator –Potassium Persulfate http://modules.utep.edu/Modules/polymer/Vinyl%20Acetate%20to%20PVAc/VA%20to%20PVAc.htm

Overall Reaction

Initiator Bond brakes homolytically

Initiator

End of the reaction

Procedure Place the exact amount of every reagent in a round bottom flask. http://modules.utep.edu/Modules/polymer/Vinyl%20Acetate%20to%20PVAc/VA%20to%20PVAc.htm Vinyl Acetate 10 ml Potassium Persulfate 0.1 g Water 10 ml

Set Up

Final Product

Nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides and first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont . Nylon is one of the most commonly used polymers Was used to replace Asian silk and hemp with nylon in parachutes in the World war II. Was also used to make tires, tents, ropes, ponchos, and other military supplies

Nylon

Reaction Video Carleton Professor bob Burk from University, Ottawa, Canada http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y479OXBzCBQ

Demonstrations Making a rubber ball Diaper polymer Teflon Plastic bag http://modules.utep.edu/Modules/polymer/Rubber%20Balls/Rubber%20Balls.htm Diaper polymer Teflon Plastic bag Carbon fiber video http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4muy0_zoom-into-a-carbon-fiber_tech

Science goals Produce more application-specific polymers Produce biodegradable polymers Dispose correctly of the polymers Recycle the existing polymers

Bad disposal consequences

Questions Is cotton a synthetic or natural polymer?

What kind of polymer is the white glue? Homopolymer Alternating copolymer Block copolymer Random copolymer Besides of the monomer what else do you need to start a polymerization reaction? (a) A radical (b) An atom (c) Water

Thank You David Chavez dchavez3@miners.utep.edu 915-747-5849