Smithfield State High School

"Creating Our Future By Achieving Personal Bests"

YEAR 11 CHEMISTRY ERT

Context: Materials now and in the future

Due dates: Draft sighting: 2 weeks from issue

Assignment: 3 weeks from issue

The use of polymers in today’s modern world seems almost endless. Polymers can be used to construct
almost anything from car parts to body parts, from bathtubs to baking trays, and from overcoats to
underpants!

As a chemist and entrepreneur you are planning to make some cash by producing a quantity of items for
sale. You are to select an item of your choice and research 2 polymers that could be used to make your
items. Some suggested items are listed below with one possible polymer identified for each.

Waterproof jackets (Nylon) Motorcycle fuel tanks (ABS)

Golf club handles (carbon fibre) Bullet proof jackets (KEVLAR)
Wetsuits (Neoprene) Sail boat sails (KEVLAR)
Artificial knee joints (ultra high weight polyethylene) Plastic bottles (PET)
Boots (leather- a natural polymer) Climbing ropes (nylon)
Socks (cotton – a natural polymer) Drainage pipes (PVC)
Oil (natural petroleum derived molecule) Car tyres (synthetic rubber)

You may choose other items that interest you. The only restriction is that at least one of the polymers you
select must not have been chosen by anyone else in the class.
To get started go to www.psrc.usm.edu/macrog and click to enter the “macrogalleria”. Scroll down to
level 1 and tour the various shops for ideas.

A) For each of the two polymers you chose you should:

• Give its chemical name and trade name if it has one
• Identify and draw the monomer molecules the polymer is made from
• Draw 2 sections of the polymer molecule near each other and…
• Indicate several positions where intermolecular forces are acting between these polymer molecules
• Determine the types of intermolecular forces acting between polymer molecules and explain the
reason for these forces
• Identify properties of the polymer and explain any that you can by relating to intermolecular forces

B) You should then:

• Identify which polymer you would use to make your chosen items. You should justify your choice
by comparing both polymers’ material properties, and relating to both polymer molecule structures
and intermolecular forces.
• Suggest possible changes that could be made to your polymer molecule structure to improve it’s
properties for use in your chosen item.
C) Type “plastics properties table” into Google or another search engine. Download a plastics data table
into your report. (It should contain data such as density, melting point, tensile strength, etc).
Systematically analyse the data to identify relationships between patterns, trends, errors and anomalies.
Your report should have the following format:

• Introduction
• Polymer 1 research (names, drawings, intermolecular forces, properties, and explanation of
properties relating to intermolecular forces)
• Polymer 2 research (names, drawings, intermolecular forces, properties, and explanation of
properties relating to intermolecular forces)
• Conclusion (choose a polymer to make your items and justify your choice. Suggest possible
changes that could be made to your polymer molecule structure to improve it’s properties for use
in your item)
• Plastics data table, and systematic analysis.
• Bibliography (textbooks, reference books, websites – all correctly referenced to the Harvard
Referencing system.

Word limit:

You should aim to use no more than 1500 words (approx 3 sides typed excluding diagrams). It important
to respond only to the stimuli given. Aim to write concisely and precisely. Do not stray from what has
been requested and give irrelevant background information.

Note: If one of your polymers is more challenging, this will allow you to demonstrate a deeper
understanding and be graded higher.

Note: You should keep a log of your work detailing dates that websites were visited, books were used, and
information was gained. This should be submitted with your ERT to help prove ownership of your work.