Polymers

What the syllabus asks of you

• Define polymers as large molecules built up 6 Identify the repeat units and / or linkages from many smaller molecules called monomers in addition polymers and in condensation polymers
• Describe the formation of poly(ethene) as 7 Deduce the structure or repeat unit of an an example of addition polymerisation using addition polymer from a given alkene and vice ethene monomers versa 8 Deduce the structure or repeat unit of a condensation polymer from given monomers and vice versa, limited to: (a) polyamides from a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine (b) polyesters from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol 9 Describe the differences between addition and condensation polymerisation 10 Describe and draw the structure of: (a) nylon, a polyamide O O O O C C N N C C N N H H H H (b) PET, a polyester O O O O C C O O C C O O The full name for PET, polyethylene terephthalate, is not required
• State that plastics are made from polymers
• Describe how the properties of plastics have 11 State that PET can be converted back into implications for their disposal monomers and re-polymerised
• Describe the environmental challenges caused by plastics, limited to: (a) disposal in landfill sites (b) accumulation in oceans (c) formation of toxic gases from burning 12 Describe proteins as natural polyamides and that they are formed from amino acid monomers with the general structure: H R O N C C H H O H where R represents different types of side- chain 13 Describe and draw the structure of proteins as: H O H O N C N C N C H O