1. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Todays learning objectives:
Understand the processes involved in refining, fractional distillation & cracking to produce workable forms of polymers.
Apply knowledge to worksheet questions.

2. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Do Now activity – Answer this GCE Past Paper exam Question.
Plug sockets are made out of urea formaldehyde which is a thermosetting plastic.
Explain in detail why Urea Formaldehyde is suitable for the plug socket. [4 MARKS].
8 minutes to respond.
Test your knowledge & common sense against a year 12 exam question.

3. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Plug sockets are made out of urea formaldehyde which is a thermosetting plastic.
Explain in detail why Urea Formaldehyde is suitable for the plug socket. [4 MARKS].
How did you do?
Mark your response against the exam answer.
UF is a thermosetting polymer and will not heat up and melt if there is a short circuit or electrical fire.
UF is an electrical insulator so will be safe for use with electrical appliances.

4. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
During todays lesson you will be learning plastics theory through:
Teacher explanation
Videos
Card matching activities
Apply knowledge to worksheet questions.
Quick Task: Can you think of daily products you use which is made from plastic.
Write a numbered list in your book.
We will discuss these shortly.
Today you will be learning about how plastics are made by extracting fossil fuels.
Quick Q – Hands up can you name a fossil fuel?

5. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Producing polymers
Polymers are produced through a lengthy process called refining
Unprocessed (crude) oil is first extracted from underground, either at sea using an oil rig, or on land
It is then transported to a plant for conversion

6. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Refining crude oil
Heavy, sticky black crude oil is virtually unusable in its unrefined state.
It has to be converted & refined into other more useable products such as fuels.
OIL RIG
OIL DRAWN TO SURFACE
PRODUCTION WELLS CUT THROUFG TO OIL
IMPERMEAVBLE ROCK
CRUDE OIL
PERMEAVBLE ROCK & WATER

7. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Fractional distillation
Fractional distillation occurs when crude oil is heated in the crude oil distillation unit.
Each product has different sized molecules with different boiling points
Q - How can this process be used to separate petrol from diesel?

8. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Fractional distillation process
Put the stages into order. The different stages are:
Crude oil is heated to 350°C
The fractions (hydrocarbons) are siphoned off for cracking
Heavier molecules stay at the bottom and lighter molecules rise to the top
The crude oil vaporises & rises up the tower
Hot oil is pumped into the base of the distillation tower
As the crude oil cools, the molecules condense

9. Fractional distillation process
Put the stages into order. Cut out the stages and discuss with your partner what you feel the process is from START to FINISH.
Crude oil is heated to 350°C
Heavier molecules stay at the bottom and lighter molecules rise to the top
The crude oil vaporises & rises up the tower
Hot oil is pumped into the base of the distillation tower
As the crude oil cools, the molecules condense
Worksheet to print (paired activity)
The fractions (hydrocarbons) are siphoned off for cracking

10. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Fractional distillation process
Move the cards into the correct order.
How did you do?
The correct process order:
Crude oil is heated to 350°C
Hot oil is pumped into the base of the distillation tower
The crude oil vaporises & rises up the tower
As the crude oil cools, the molecules condense
Heavier molecules stay at the bottom & lighter molecules rise to the top
The fractions (hydrocarbons) are siphoned off for cracking
Write the process in your book.

11. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Cracking
This is the process of converting the large hydrocarbon molecules found in the separated fuel types into smaller, more useful versions.
The large molecules do not flow very well and are not suitable to be converted into plastics
Heat and pressure are used to break them up

12. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Plenary – Test yourself Questions (Lesson 1-3).

13. PLASTIC SUMMARY TEST.
Q1) The process of converting large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller version is called [1]
⬨ Distilling
⬨ Fracking
⬨ Cracking
⬨ Refining
Q5) Put the following statements in the correct order to explain how polymers are produced from raw material. [4]
Oil is transported by a tanker to an oil refinery
Polymerisation takes place
Oil is put through a distillation process where heavy crude oil is separated into groups called fractions
Crude oil is extracted from the ground or from an oil rig
Q2) Name one thermoforming plastic. [1]
Q3) Name one thermosetting plastic. [1]
Q4) Does this diagram show a thermoforming plastic, thermosetting or elastomer? [1]
Q6) Name the three fossil fuels. [3]
Worksheet to print
TOTAL
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14. GCSE Design Technology
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
LESSON 3
Plastics & Polymers
Swap your sheet with your partner for marking

15. NYLON, ACRYLIC, PP, PET, LDPE & HDPE
PLASTIC SUMMARY TEST.
Q1) The process of converting large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller version is called [1]
⬨ Distilling
⬨ Fracking
⬨ Cracking
⬨ Refining
Q5) Put the following statements in the correct order to explain how polymers are produced from raw material. [4]  2
Oil is transported by a tanker to an oil refinery  4
Polymerisation takes place  3
Oil is put through a distillation process where heavy crude oil is separated into groups called fractions  1
Crude oil is extracted from the ground or from an oil rig
Q2) Name one thermoforming plastic. [1]
NYLON, ACRYLIC, PP, PET, LDPE & HDPE
Q3) Name one thermosetting plastic. [1]
UF, EPOXY RESIN, MELAMINE FORMALDEHYDE, POLYESTER RESIN
Q6) Name the three fossil fuels. [3]
COAL
Q4) Does this diagram show a thermoforming plastic, thermosetting or elastomer? [1]
OIL
Answers for marking
THERMOFORMING
GAS
TOTAL
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