11.

4 Polymers of Alkenes 399

11.4 Polymers of Alkenes

polymers that are tn In ihe past hundred years, the plastics industry has made synthetic pans, rlany of the n-raterials we use every day, such as carpeting, plastic wrap, nonstick diseased plastic cups, and rain gear. In medicine, synthetic polymers are used to replace

polymer is

a large molecule that consists of smali repeating units called monomers'

Draw condensed structural formulas of monomers that form a PolYmer or a three-monomer section of a

polymer
j""==''

vessels. There lrr clamaged bocly parts such as hip joints, teeth, heart valves, and blood is about 15 kg for every ar-e about 100 billion kg of plastics produced every yeaf, which person on Earth.

: =-::--:: --l.=.]j
TUTORIAL
Po lYmers

Many of the synthetic polymers are made by addition reactions of small alkenes' and very The conditions for many polymerization reactions require high temperatures polymer grows longer as hrgh pressure (over 1000 atm). ln an acldition reaction, a long carbon lutonomers are added to the end of the chain. A polymer may consist of a monorlers. Polyethylene, a polymer made from ethylene chain with as many as 1000
is llonomefs, is used in plastic bottles, film, and plastic dinnerware' More polyethyiene produced worldwide than any other polymer'
N4ctl.lot.tier

SELF STUDY ACTIVITY ntroduction to PolYmers

ulllt repeats

H HH HH H / * \a:c/ \./\ C--c + c--c \,/\ ,/\,/ H HH HH H

Ethene (ethylene) trronolnel's

TT[t f-f-[i HHLH

H
I

-cI

Polyethvlene section

Table I 1.3 lists several alkene monomers that are used to produce comrloll s)'nthetlc .l plaspolymers, and Figure 1.4 shows examples of each. The aikane-like nature of these (they tic synthetic polymers makes them unreactive. Thus, they do not decompose easily to pollution. EfTorts at'e being made are nonbiodegradable) and have become contributors plastic to make them more degradable. It is becoming increasingly important to recycle material. rather than add to our growing landfills'

Synthetic polymers are used to replace diseased

veins and arterres.

POLYMERS AND RECYCLING PLASTICS 1. Make

a list of the items voLl use or' have in your roonr or home that are made of polyrners. the Recycling infortnation

2.
Polyethylene

on

Polyvinyl chlolide

Polypropylene

bottom ol side of a Plastic item incl-rdes a trian-sle u'ith a code number that identitles the tYPe of polyn-rer usecl to make the plastic.

Make a collection of
diffelent kinds
type of polymer. OUESTIONS
1.

sevelal

of

plastic items'

Try to find plastic iterns with each

polytetrafluoroethylene

(Teflon)

Polydichloroethylene

(Saran)

Polystyrene Polystylene

FIGURE 11.4 Synthetic polymers provide a wide variety of items that we use every day Q wrrat are some alkenes used to make the polymers in these plastic items?

What are the most common tYPes of pln:tics among the plaslic items in youl collection'/ What ale the monomer units of some of the plastics you looked at'?

400

cHAprER

1i

UNSATURATED HYDRocARB0NS

rABLE

r.3

Some Alkenes and Their Polymers

Polymer Section Gommon Uses

Monomer

HHHHHH
H2C:CH2
Ethene (ethylcnc)

ttllll

-C-C-C-C-C-Ctlllll HHHHHH
Polyethylene

Plastic bonles, film, insulation materials

C1

HCIHClHCI -C-C-C-C-C-CPol-vvin1'l chlotide ( PVC

)

H2C:CH
Chloroelhene
(r'in1,'l

chlolidc)

rrllll trtlll HHHHHH

H

Plastic pipes and tubing, garden hoses, garbage bags

CH:

H2C:CH
Propene
(

pr()p!'lene)

-C-C-C-C-C-CHHHHHH
Poll,propl,lene

rt-llll tlllll

CH3

CH-T

H CHI
Ski and hiking clothing,
carpets. artificial

joints

FF F-C:C-F
Tetral'luoroethcnc

ll

FFFFFF

-c-c-c-c-c-cttllll FFFFFF
Pol!'tetliiil Llorocthylene (Tell
on ;

trllll
rlllll

Nonstick coatings

CI

HClHClHC] -C-C-C-C-C-CHCIHCIHCl
Poly'dichloroethy lenc (Saran
)

H2C:C-Cl
1

.I

-Dichloroethene

llrrll

Plastic lrhn and wrap

rA \l
H'C:CH
Phenl,lethene ( st)'rene )
I

-CH: -CH

q Y -cH2-cH-cH2-cHr^
Polvstvlcne

Plastic coffee cups and cafions.

insulation

You can identify the type of polymer used to manuf.rctlrre a plastic item by looking for the recycling symbol (arrows that form a triangle) found on the label or on the bottom of the plastic container. For example, either the number 5 or the letters PP inside the

triangle is a code for

polypropylene plastic.
7

The recycling symbol indicates the type of polymer.

PETE

HDPE

PVC
Poll'rin1'l

LDPE
Lor.v-densitl' poll,ethylene

PP
Pol1'plotrrl

PS

o
C)ther

Poll,eth-vlene High-density terephthalate poll'ethyiene

lene

Polyst1,'t ene

chloride

Polymers

Give the name and draw the condensed structllral formula of the starting monomers for the following polymers:

HClHCIHCI
Today tables, benches, and trash receptacles are made from recycled

a. polypropylene

b. Saran

plastics.

-9-9-9-C-C-Crrrlll
HCIHCI

llllll