POLYMERS

INTRODUCTION

THEORY

Introduction
Man used eight kinds of materials such as different metals,
stones, wood, ceramics, glasses, skins, horns (outgrowths on the
heads of cattle & deer) & natural fibres until the nineteenth
century. In the nineteenth century, plastics & rubber were
developed. Oil industry provided cheap raw materials for the
production of synthetic polymers & rubbers. Since then these
materials are contributing in raising the standards of living of
mankind significantly. Everyday features of the modern life such
as motor cars, refrigerators, telephones, electronic instruments,
controls, computers, televisions, etc. is possible only with the use
of polymers.
Polymeric materials are extensively used as cheap substitute to
older materials. The assets (useful qualities) of polymers are they are most versatile materials available in the wide range of
strength, toughness, abrasion resistance & flexibility. They are
resistance to corrosion. Some of them have non-stick properties,
electrical insulation capacity & transparency. They can be
produced in a variety of colours & they are available in wide range
of chemical & solvent resistance. Being light in weight their
transportation & labour cost is low. The ability of polymers to
soften & flow at least once, is one of their most valuable assets,
as it allows them to be formed into complex shapes easily &
expensively by processing them.
Petroleum oil is one of the major sources of materials required for
manufacturing of polymeric materials.
Polymer ----- poly (many) + miros (parts)

POLYMERS

INTRODUCTION

THEORY

The compounds formed by number of small molecules linked together are

known as polymers.

It is large molecule.
It has high molecular weight compound.
It has high melting point.
They are less crystalline.
It becomes soft on heating.
Eg. Polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, etc.
The single repeating unit is called as monomer.

Eg. Ethylene, alkynes, butadiene, etc

The number of functional group or reactive position in monomer
is called as functionality of monomer.
Eg. 1) Monofunctional.
Ethylene CH2 = CH2
Vinyl chloride CH2 = CH Cl
Styrene CH2 = CH C6H5
Propylene CH2 = CH CH3
2) Bifunctional.
Glycine NH2 = CH COOH
Adipic acid HOOC (- CH2-)4 COOH
Hexamethylene diamine H2N (-CH2-)6 NH2
Acetylene HC CH
Butadiene H2C = CH CH = CH2
Polymethyl methacrylate CH2 = C CH3

COOCH3

POLYMERS

INTRODUCTION

THEORY

3) Trifunctional.
Glycerol HO CH2 CH CH2 - OH

OH

Epichloro hydrin Cl CH2 CH CH2

O
Cellulose C6H7O2 (OH)3 & Phenol

C6H5 OH

4) Tetrafunctional.
Phenol formaldehyde resin & Urea formaldehyde resins
The process of joining a large number of molecules of monomer to form a
large molecule of polymer is known as polymerization.
The total number of single monomer units combined together to form a
polymer is known as degree of polymerization.
Plastics are the polymers which are shaped into hard & tough utility articles
by application of heat & pressure.