plastic polymer
Chapter
9
The World of Plastics and
Polymers
Overview
• Plastics are all around us
– Polymers, materials whose molecules consist of long chain of atoms
• Natural
• Synthetic
• Use of material and impact on economy, lifestyle, and leisure
– Word plastic to some carry connotation “cheap” or
“tacky”
– Synthetic polymers revolutionised modern life
• eg plastics become important in automobile industry, some new plastics stronger than steel and resist corrosion, less dense than structural metals…reduce weight
Plastics in Proton Gen-2
Use of Polymers
• Automobiles one of many examples of the uses of polymers • Plastic packaging
– Reduce weight, eliminate breakage, help to save fuel during shipping • Grocery bags made of plastics use less material (30% reduction) • Plastic construction materials replaced wood in some application • Plastic pipes replace lead, iron, copper, etc
• Recreation
– Artifical turf, plastic helmets, etc
Formidable economic opportunity:
Annual US production of plastics from 1935 to 1997
Billions of pounds
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Plastics are used in many recreational activities
0
35 40 45 50 55 60 67 71 74 77 81 85 88 91 94 97
year
Overcomed metal production
1
Polymers: The Long, Long
Chain
Overview
• Six strategies employed by chemists to vary properties by modifying molecular structure
–
–
–
–
–
–
Composition
Structure
Production
Properties
Modifications
Uses
• Cannot get away from synthetic polymers
• Probably wearing or carrying at least 6 items of different materials that did not exist 20 or more years ago – Shoes
• Consists of six or more different kinds of plastics
• Success of plastics not without costs
– Sole, trim, foam padding, sock liner, upper, laces , and lace tips
– Disposal
•
•
•
•
•
Incineration
Biodegradation
Reuse
Recycling
Source reduction
Polymers: The Long, Long Chain
• Apply term “PLASTIC” to
9
The World of Plastics and
Polymers
Overview
• Plastics are all around us
– Polymers, materials whose molecules consist of long chain of atoms
• Natural
• Synthetic
• Use of material and impact on economy, lifestyle, and leisure
– Word plastic to some carry connotation “cheap” or
“tacky”
– Synthetic polymers revolutionised modern life
• eg plastics become important in automobile industry, some new plastics stronger than steel and resist corrosion, less dense than structural metals…reduce weight
Plastics in Proton Gen-2
Use of Polymers
• Automobiles one of many examples of the uses of polymers • Plastic packaging
– Reduce weight, eliminate breakage, help to save fuel during shipping • Grocery bags made of plastics use less material (30% reduction) • Plastic construction materials replaced wood in some application • Plastic pipes replace lead, iron, copper, etc
• Recreation
– Artifical turf, plastic helmets, etc
Formidable economic opportunity:
Annual US production of plastics from 1935 to 1997
Billions of pounds
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Plastics are used in many recreational activities
0
35 40 45 50 55 60 67 71 74 77 81 85 88 91 94 97
year
Overcomed metal production
1
Polymers: The Long, Long
Chain
Overview
• Six strategies employed by chemists to vary properties by modifying molecular structure
–
–
–
–
–
–
Composition
Structure
Production
Properties
Modifications
Uses
• Cannot get away from synthetic polymers
• Probably wearing or carrying at least 6 items of different materials that did not exist 20 or more years ago – Shoes
• Consists of six or more different kinds of plastics
• Success of plastics not without costs
– Sole, trim, foam padding, sock liner, upper, laces , and lace tips
– Disposal
•
•
•
•
•
Incineration
Biodegradation
Reuse
Recycling
Source reduction
Polymers: The Long, Long Chain
• Apply term “PLASTIC” to