Structures and

properties of polymers
Part 2
 Condensation polymers
 Polymers formed by condensation reaction
that’s used to make esters
 Need at least two suitable functional
groups per monomer
 Terylene- a polyester - is a typical
condensation polymer
Condensation polymers
 Nylon + Terylene – linear polymers ideal
for making fibres
 Nylon – polyamide formed from
condensation of a dicarboxylic acid and a
diamine
 Water is eliminated when nylon is formed
How polymers are effected
by temperature changes
 Heats solids made of small molecules – melt to
form liquid an eventually boil
 Polymers not so simple
 E.g. rubber cooled in liquid nitrogen becomes
brittle and can be smashed
 It becomes GLASSY
 poly(propene) becomes brittle at about -10 C
 Structure of many polymers mixture of ordered
areas (crystalline) and random (amorphous)
 In glassy state the amorphous regions become
‘frozen’ so cant can’t change shape if it has to move
it does so breaking
How polymers are effected
by temperature changes
 If you heat the glassy material, polymer
chains reach a temp at which they move
relative to each other. This is the glass
transistion temperature (Tg)

 When polymer is warmer than this, we see

the typical plastic properties we expect-
How polymers are effected
by temperature changes
 On further heating we reach the melting
temperature (Tm)

 The crystalline regions break down and

polymer becomes a viscous fluid

 These processes are reversible for

thermoplastics
How polymers are effected
by temperature changes
How polymers are effected
by temperature changes
 Today’s polymers are designed to have Tg
and Tm values which are suitable for the
manufacturers needs
 Matching polymer properties
to needs
 Different polymers with different uses
need polymers with different Tg

 Two important ways of changing Tg is by

using copolymerisation and plasticisers
 Matching polymer properties
to needs
 Different polymers with different uses
need polymers with different Tg

 Two important ways of changing Tg is by

using copolymerisation and plasticisers
 Matching polymer properties
to needs
 Pure poly(chloroethene)- PVC has a Tg of about 80
C – rigid and quite brittle at room temp
 Used to make drain pipes
 Sometimes called unplasticised PVC or uPVC
 To make it more flexible the Tg needs to be
lowered.
 One way of doing this is to copolymerise the
chloroethene with a small amount of ethenyl
ethanoate
 Matching polymer properties
to needs

 Introduces different side groups into the

polymer chain
 Chains pack together less well – attractive forces
are weaker
 Polymer is more flexible because the chains can
move over one another more easily
 Matching polymer properties
to needs
 Another way is to use a ‘molecular
lubricant’ – a plasticiser
 Allows the PVC chains to slide over each
other more easily

 Diagram shows a plasticiser in place

beween two polymers
 Matching polymer properties
to needs

 Plasticiser have to be chosen very

carefully so they are compatible with the
polymer
 Di-(2-ethylhexyl)hexandioate is commonly
used as a plasticiser for PVC
 Important that the plasticisers added to
cling film don’t dissolve in fatty food as
they may be harmful to health