Synthetic Polymers
INTERCHAPTER S
Synthetic Polymers
The formation of nylon by a condensation polymerization reaction at the interface of water and hexane, two immiscible solvents. The lower water layer contains the compound hexanedioyl dichloride, Cl C(CH2)4C O O Cl
hexanedioyl dichloride
The reaction produces nylon and HCl(aq). The polymer forms at the interface between the two solutions and is drawn out as a continuous strand.
University Science Books, ©2011. All rights reserved. www.uscibooks.com
S. SyNTHETIC PolymERS
S1 HOCH2CH2 + H2C=CH2 → HOCH2CH2CH2CH2
Some molecules contain so many atoms (up to tens of thousands) that understanding their structure would seem to be an impossible task. By recognizing that many of these macromolecules exhibit recurring structural motifs, however, chemists have come to understand how these molecules are constructed and, further, how to synthesize them. These molecules, called polymers, fall into two classes: natural and synthetic. Natural polymers include many of the biomolecules that are essential to life: proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates among them. Synthetic polymers—most of which were developed in just the last 60 or so years—include plastics, synthetic rubbers, and synthetic fibers. We shall study synthetic polymers in this Interchapter and natural polymers in the next one. Enormous industries have been built around synthetic polymer chemistry, which has profoundly changed the quality of life in the modern world. It is estimated that about half of all industrial research chemists are involved in some aspect of polymer chemistry. Few of us have not heard of nylon, rayon, polycarbonate, polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene, Teflon®, Formican®, and Saran, all of which are synthetic polymers. The technological impact of polymer chemistry is immense and continues to increase.
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The product of this step is also a free radical that can react with another ethylene molecule according to HOCH2CH2CH2CH2 +
Synthetic Polymers
The formation of nylon by a condensation polymerization reaction at the interface of water and hexane, two immiscible solvents. The lower water layer contains the compound hexanedioyl dichloride, Cl C(CH2)4C O O Cl
hexanedioyl dichloride
The reaction produces nylon and HCl(aq). The polymer forms at the interface between the two solutions and is drawn out as a continuous strand.
University Science Books, ©2011. All rights reserved. www.uscibooks.com
S. SyNTHETIC PolymERS
S1 HOCH2CH2 + H2C=CH2 → HOCH2CH2CH2CH2
Some molecules contain so many atoms (up to tens of thousands) that understanding their structure would seem to be an impossible task. By recognizing that many of these macromolecules exhibit recurring structural motifs, however, chemists have come to understand how these molecules are constructed and, further, how to synthesize them. These molecules, called polymers, fall into two classes: natural and synthetic. Natural polymers include many of the biomolecules that are essential to life: proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates among them. Synthetic polymers—most of which were developed in just the last 60 or so years—include plastics, synthetic rubbers, and synthetic fibers. We shall study synthetic polymers in this Interchapter and natural polymers in the next one. Enormous industries have been built around synthetic polymer chemistry, which has profoundly changed the quality of life in the modern world. It is estimated that about half of all industrial research chemists are involved in some aspect of polymer chemistry. Few of us have not heard of nylon, rayon, polycarbonate, polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene, Teflon®, Formican®, and Saran, all of which are synthetic polymers. The technological impact of polymer chemistry is immense and continues to increase.
̣
̣
The product of this step is also a free radical that can react with another ethylene molecule according to HOCH2CH2CH2CH2 +