Plastics and Synthetic Fibres

Learning outcomes for Topic 8

Plastics and Synthetic Fibres

• What are most plastics and synthetic fibres made from?

• What is meant by the word synthetic in this context?

• What does biodegradable mean?

Synthetic Fibres

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic fibres?

Plastics

• What are the properties of plastics?

• How do the properties of plastics relate to their uses?

• What are the problems with plastics?

• What happens to plastic when it burns?

• How how does burning help us to see what elements are present in the original plastic?

Thermosetting Plastics

• What is a thermosetting plastic?

• What is a thermoplastic?

• What are thermosetting plastics used for?

Polymerisation 1

• What is a monomer?

• What is a polymer?

• What is polymerisation?

• Give an example of a polymer.

Polymerisation 2

• How are plastics made?

• How do monomers join together to make a polymer?

• What is addition polymerisation?

• Give an example of addition polymerisation.

Polymerisation 3• What polymer is formed when ethene

reacts?

• What is the structural formula for this reaction?

• What is the repeating unit and monomer for the polymer with the structures below?

C

H

H

C

Cl

H

C

H

H

C

Cl

H

C

H

H

C

Cl

H

C

H

Br

C

H

H

C

H

H

C

H

Br

C

H

H

C

H

H