Consumer Chemistry

Quarter 1/ Week 7
Supplemental Material
Learning Competency: Recognize the properties and uses of polymers

What is Polymer?
A polymer is a large molecule or a macromolecule which essentially is a combination of many
subunits. The term polymer in Greek means ‘many parts’. Polymers can be found all around us.
From the strand of our DNA which is a naturally occurring biopolymer to polypropylene which is
used throughout the world as plastic.
Polymers may be naturally found in plants and animals (natural polymers) or may be man-made
(synthetic polymers). Different polymers have a number of unique physical and chemical
properties due to which they find usage in everyday life. The following are the ways on how to
classify polymers.

The following are the ways on how to classify polymers.

Sources of Availability
Natural polymers (or biopolymers) They occur naturally and are found in plants and animals. To
add up, we also have biodegradable polymers which are called biopolymers. These are important
to our life because our body is made up of natural polymers. Examples of natural polymers in the
human body are proteins and nucleic acid. Starch which is composed of glucose molecules and
cellulose that are found in plants are natural polymers. Rubber is a polymer derived from the latex
of rubber trees. Honey, a sweet substance is also a naturally occurring polymer that is made by
bees.
Synthetic polymers are man-made polymers. These polymers are artificially created or produce
in a laboratory. Synthetic polymers are frequently referred as “plastics”. Plastic is the most
common and widely used synthetic polymer. It is used in industries and various dairy products.
There are many commercially made polymers which we use in our everyday life such as plastic
bags, packaging materials, food containers and water bottles. These are man-made polymers.
Semi-synthetic polymers They are derived from naturally occurring polymers and undergo
further chemical modification. Examples of which are vulcanized rubber (sulfur is used to bond
rubber molecules) and cellulose acetate (rayon) made from processed wood pulp.
The Structure of Polymers
Numerous classes of organic polymers are composed of hydrocarbons. These polymers are
predominantly made of carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded jointly into long chains that are called
the backbone of the polymer. Carbon is the main element in polymers. It has four valence
electrons, and needs four more to be chemically stable. Carbon forms a broad array of covalent
bonds. Most importantly, these bonds are strong bonds. Long and strong chains made of carbon
atoms form the backbone of a polymer. Let us study the different structures of polymers.

Linear polymers They are derived from naturally occurring polymers and undergo further
chemical modification. Examples of these are polyethylene, that is use in plastic piping, bottles,
electrical insulation and toys and polypropylene that is use in packaging films, carpets, crates for
soft drink bottles and lab wares. The polymer Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has chlorine atoms bonded
to the all-carbon backbone whereas Teflon has fluorine atoms bonded to the long chain carbon
backbone. Nylons include nitrogen atoms in the repeat unit backbone. Table 1 shows some
monomers and their common synthetic polymers.
Heterochain polymers are composed of atoms of two or more elements such as polyesters and
polycarbonates which include oxygen in the backbone. Table 2 shows some examples of
heterochain polymers and their uses.

Polymers containing inorganic and organic components are sometimes called hybrid polymers.
These polymers are covalently bonded, however it has a skeletal arrangement that does not
contain carbon atoms in the backbone, hence are classified as inorganic polymers. Table 3
shows some hybrid polymers and their uses.

A polymer’s structural design is important factor to consider in studying its properties. Aside from
long carbon-carbon bonds of numerous organic polymers, chemists nowadays can make polymers
with more intricate structural design through branching and cross-linking.
Branched polymers When linear chains of a polymer form branches, then, such polymers are
categorized as branched chain polymers. They have shorter chains attached to a polymer
backbone. As the number of branches becomes greater, the chains cannot pack collectively as
well. This is the reason why the degree of crystallinity of polymers decreases. This results for a
polymer to become less rigid. For example, in the preparation of high density polyethylene (HDPE)
like storage containers for milk and detergents, small amount of branching occurs as a side
reaction. In low density polyethylene (LDPE), branching is purposely induced, so there is much
higher degree of branching, and the chains cannot pack well making the crystallinity low. This soft,
lightweight plastic material is commonly used in food storage bags.
Cross linking They are composed of bifunctional and trifunctional monomers. They have a
stronger covalent bond in comparison to other linear polymers. This can be described as the
formation of bonds that links a polymer chain to another polymer chain. Adding cross-links to
polymers is very important in studying its properties. Depending on the degree of cross linking,
polymers tend to loss some of their abilities as individual polymers. In movement for example,
cross-linked polymers become mechanically strong, resistant to heat and insoluble in solvents.

Intermolecular Forces in Polymers

Just like in small molecules, intermolecular forces are also present in polymers. The larger the
molecule (longer chain), the greater the intermolecular force is exerted. The properties exhibited
by polymers depend on the strength of the intermolecular forces present between the molecules in
the chains. Based on this characteristic, polymers can be classified into four types:
a. Elastomers -. are loosely cross-linked polymers. They have the characteristics of rubber in
terms of flexibility and elasticity. The long, randomly coiled, loosely cross-linked materials
can be stretched easily but return to their original shapes when the force or stress is
removed. A large number of cross-links would make the material rigid, hard, and closer in
properties to a thermoset There is a weak intermolecular force between these polymer
chains. Table 4 shows some elastomer materials and their application.
b. Thermoplastics polymers are long-chain polymers in which inter-molecules forces present
is the Van der Waal’s forces. These polymers are softened when heated and hardened
when they are cooled down. They do not contain any cross-links bond which allows them to
easily be shaped by heating and forms into various shapes using molds. Thermoplastics
are strong and capable of being remolded making it a preferable replacement for metal.
Table 5 shows common examples of thermoplastics and their diverse uses.

c. Thermosets plastics include polymers that cross-link and form an irreversible chemical
bond. The cross-linking process prevents the polymers to melt when heated, making the
thermosets very suitable for high-heat applications such as electrical, lighting, automotive
and appliances. Thermoset plastics improve the polymers mechanical properties and
enhance chemical and heat resistance. These materials possess chemical and thermal
 stability and are often used for sealed products due to their resistance to deformation. The
table below shows some examples and uses of thermosets.

d. Fibers These classes of polymers are a thread like in nature and can easily be woven. The
chains have strong intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonds or dipole-dipole interaction)
making them as materials with high tensile strength. Natural fibers include cotton, fur and
wool while some synthetic fibers are formed from polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylonitrile
and polyolefins. Clothing prepared from natural fibers are more breathable than those
prepared from synthetic fibers. The table below shows some examples of synthetic fibers
and their uses

References:
Consumer Chemistry– Grade 9 Alternative Delivery Mode Quarter 1 - Module 7: Polymers First Edition, 2020
by Stephanie A. Roxas ; Published by the Department of Education
https://byjus.com/jee/polymers/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/cross-linked-polymer
Organic Reactions are chemical reactions involving organic compounds. These reactions are very useful
in synthesizing different organic compounds that can be utilized in various industry purposes. Some of the
organic reactions are addition, substitution, elimination and polymerization.
TYPES OF ORGANIC REACTION
1. Addition Reaction
Addition reaction is the addition of an atom or group of atoms to the adjacent carbons of a multiple bond.
This reaction is applicable in alkenes and alkynes due to the presence of multiple bonds. Halogens (Cl2,
Br2,F2, I2) Hydrogen (H2) and hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, HF, HI) can be added in carbons with multiple
bonds.

A. Alkenes
General Formula:
2. Elimination Reaction
Elimination reaction is the intermolecular loss or removal of an atom or group of atoms from adjacent
carbon atoms. Alkanes undergo in this kind of reaction and results in the formation of multiple bond.

3.
Substitution Reaction
Substitution reaction occurs when one atom is swapped with another atom. Alkanes undergo a substitution
reaction with halogens in the presence of ultraviolet light. For instance, in ultraviolet light, methane reacts
with halogen molecules such as chlorine (Cl2) bromine (Br2), iodine (I2) and fluorine (F2).
4. Polymerization Reaction
Polymerization reaction is a chemical reaction in which the repetitious combining of many small molecules
(monomers) produces a very large molecule (the polymer). With appropriate catalysts, simple alkenes and
simple substituted alkenes readily undergo polymerization. A polymer is a large molecule formed by the
repetitive bonding together of many smaller molecules. The smaller repeating units of a polymer are called
monomers. A monomer is the small molecule that is the structural repeating unit in a polymer.

Reference:]

Estarez, Raphael J. Consumer Chemistry – Grade 9Alternative Delivery Mode, Quarter 1- Module
6:Organic Reactions, First Edition, 2020