All You Need to Know About Polymer Products
Summary
Picture Courtesy: J.D.Jones
Do you think that daily life would have been easier and colorful without the discovery and varied applications of polymers? The use of polymers is very wide, consider some of the examples like manufacturing products like buckets, cups, and saucers, children’s toys, packaging bags, synthetic clothing materials, electrical insulating materials, and machine parts have completely changed the daily life as well as the industries. plastics, elastomers, fiber, and paints and varnishes.
The word ‘polymer’ is coined from two Greek words: ‘poly’ means many and ‘mer’ means unit or part. These are sometimes referred to as macromolecules, which are formed by joining of repeating structural units on a large scale. The repeating structural units are derived from simple and reactive molecules known as monomers and are linked to each other by covalent bonds. This process of formation of polymers from the respective monomers is called polymerization.
The transformation of ethene to polythene and interaction of hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid leading to the formation of Nylon 6, 6 are examples of two different types of polymerization reactions.
There are several ways of classification of polymer products based on special considerations.
1. Natural polymers are found in plants and animals. Examples: proteins, cellulose, starch, some resins, and rubber. 2. Semi-synthetic polymers are cellulose derivatives as cellulose acetate (rayon) and cellulose nitrate, etc. are the usual examples. 3. Synthetic polymers such as plastic (polythene), synthetic fibres, and synthetic rubbers (Buna - S) are examples of man-made polymers those are extensively used in daily life as well as in industry.
Classification by properties:
Density
Thermal properties
Degree of crystallinity
Physical properties such as hardness, strength, machinability.
Solubility, permeability to gases
Classification by applications:
molded and formed objects ("plastics")
sheets and films
elastomers (i.e., elastic polymers such as rubber)
adhesives
coatings, paints, inks
fibres and yarns
Decomposition products of plastics in the environment Most commonly-used polymers are not readily biodegradable, particularly under the anaerobic conditions of most landfills. Partial photo decomposition, initiated by exposure to sunlight, is a more likely long-term exposed plastics, resulting in tiny broken-up fragments. Many of these materials are less dense than seawater, and once they enter the oceans through coastal sewage outfalls or from marine vessel wastes, they tend to remain there indefinitely.
Conclusion Polymers are defined as high molecular mass, which consists of repeating structural units derived from the corresponding monomers. These polymers may be of natural or synthetic origin and are classified in different ways. In the presence of an organic peroxide initiator, the alkenes and their derivatives undergo addition polymerization or chain-growth polymerization through a free radical mechanism. Polythene, Teflon, etc. are formed by addition polymerization of an appropriate alkene or its derivative
