Sofia Martinez
Plastics and rubbers are man-made materials composed of very large molecules called polymers, which are formed by the organic reaction of polymerization. Polymers are constructed from relatively small molecular fragments known as monomers that are joined together. Organic polymers play a crucial role in living things, providing basic structural materials and participating in vital life processes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Organic Reaction that produces rubber and plastics | Polymerization |
| Examples of Polymerization | Organic isocyanates R–NCO reacting with multifunctional alcohols to form polymeric carbamates (polyurethanes) |
| The reaction of alkyl cellulose and ethylene oxide to form oxycellulose | |
| The reaction of monochloroacetic acid or its sodium salts with alkali cellulose to form carboxymethyl cellulose | |
| The reaction of multifunctional acids such as phthalic acid with polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol to form polyesters | |
| Other Organic Reactions | Esterification, Saponification, Fermentation |
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What You'll Learn
- Polymerisation is the main reaction that produces rubber and plastics
- Plastics are derived from organic materials like crude oil, natural gas, salt, coal, and biomatter
- Natural rubber consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene
- Synthetic rubber was created in 1909 due to high industrial demand
- Plastics are high molecular weight organic polymers composed of elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur
Polymerisation is the main reaction that produces rubber and plastics
Organic polymers play a crucial role in living things, providing basic structural materials and participating in vital life processes. For example, the solid parts of all plants are made up of polymers, including cellulose, lignin, and various resins. Cellulose is a polysaccharide, a polymer that is composed of sugar molecules. Lignin consists of a complicated three-dimensional network of polymers. Wood resins are polymers of a simple hydrocarbon, isoprene, and rubber is another familiar isoprene polymer.
Other natural polymers include proteins, which are polymers of amino acids, and nucleic acids, which are polymers of nucleotides—complex molecules composed of nitrogen-containing bases, sugars, and phosphoric acid. Starches, an important source of food energy derived from plants, are natural polymers composed of glucose.
Synthetic polymers, which include plastics, came into prominence in the early twentieth century. Chemists' ability to engineer them to yield desired properties such as strength, stiffness, density, heat resistance, and electrical conductivity has greatly expanded their many roles in the modern industrial economy.
Polyesters, for example, are the product of the reaction of multifunctional acids such as phthalic acid with polyhydric alcohols such as glycerol. Organic isocyanates R–NCO react with multifunctional alcohols to form polymeric carbamates, commonly referred to as polyurethanes, which are used in plastic foams for thermal insulation and upholstery.
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Plastics are derived from organic materials like crude oil, natural gas, salt, coal, and biomatter
Plastics are derived from organic materials such as crude oil, natural gas, coal, salt, and biomatter. The process of polymerization is an organic reaction that produces plastics and rubber. Polymerization involves linking chains of molecules (monomers) to create a large molecule (polymer). This process gives plastic its durability and malleability.
Crude oil, also known as fossil fuel, is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds, primarily composed of carbon and hydrogen. Through distillation, crude oil can be separated into lighter components called fractions, which are mixtures of hydrocarbon chains. One crucial fraction, naphtha, is essential for plastic production.
Natural gas, another fossil fuel, is composed of hydrocarbons formed from the remains of living organisms, specifically tiny plants and animals called plankton. Over time, these organisms were buried under heavy layers of sediment, subjected to intense heat and pressure, and decomposed without oxygen, transforming into pockets of gas.
Coal, also a fossil fuel, primarily originates from dead plants. Like crude oil and natural gas, it is composed of carbon and hydrogen elements that form chemical bonds to create hydrocarbons.
Salt is another natural material used in plastic production. While it may not seem like an organic compound, salt is essential in certain chemical processes that convert organic compounds into plastics.
Finally, biomatter, or biobased plastics, are derived from renewable sources such as carbohydrates, starch, vegetable fats, oils, bacteria, and other biological substances. As the demand for limited oil reserves increases, there is a growing need to explore newer plastics derived from renewable resources, including waste biomass and animal waste products.
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Natural rubber consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene
Natural rubber is a polymer of the organic compound isoprene, also known as polyisoprene. It is formed by the polymerization of multiple isoprene molecules, which can assume any one of four spatial configurations, or isomers. These isomers give unique properties to the resulting polymers. The most common isomer in natural rubber is the cis-1,4 polymer, which is produced in the latex of certain plants, most notably the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis).
The chemical structure of isoprene can be represented as CH2=C(CH3)—CH=CH2. Isoprene molecules link together to form polyisoprene, which is the primary chemical constituent of natural rubber. This polymerization process can be catalyzed by prenyltransferase, which converts three isoprene monomers into farnesyl pyrophosphate. Farnesyl pyrophosphate can then bind to rubber transferase, elongating a new rubber polymer.
Natural rubber is considered "self-reinforcing" due to its crystallinity, which lends it greater strength. However, it is sensitive to temperature: it crystallizes when cooled and becomes inelastic at high temperatures. It is also affected by atmospheric oxygen and ozone, which can lead to the rupture of the polymer molecules. To overcome these disadvantages, natural rubber can be vulcanized, a process that cross-links the polymer chains with sulfur, forming a 3-D matrix. Vulcanization strengthens and rigidifies the rubber while preserving its elasticity.
Natural rubber is valued for its physical properties of extensibility and toughness, allowing it to be stretched to several times its original length. It finds applications in tires, rubber springs, mountings, footwear, and adhesives. While natural rubber is primarily derived from the rubber tree, it can also be obtained from over five hundred different plant species, although many of these require more elaborate processing to produce usable rubber.
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Synthetic rubber was created in 1909 due to high industrial demand
The world's demand for rubber grew exponentially during the Industrial Revolution, particularly in the automotive industry. Engineers needed rubber to seal steam cylinders and manufacture tires, shoes, and other products. The rubber tree, Hevea Brasiliensis, was first discovered in Brazil, and British adventurer Sir Henry Wickham brought 70,000 of its seeds to the UK in 1876. From there, rubber trees were shipped to Sri Lanka and Singapore, bringing the valuable resource under the control of the British Empire.
As the automotive industry continued to grow, rubber stocks began to deplete, and companies like Bayer sought a synthetic alternative. In 1906, Bayer offered 20,000 gold marks for a chemist within the company to invent a rubber substitute, with a deadline of three years. By 1909, Bayer's chief chemist, Fritz Hoffman, had succeeded in producing methyl-isoprene, marking the beginning of synthetic rubber development. This synthetic rubber was later patented on September 12, 1909.
Methyl-isoprene was chosen as a substitute due to its structural similarity to natural rubber, which is composed of poly-cis-isoprene. At the time, bonding polymers together was a challenge, and methyl-isoprene offered a more accessible alternative. The creation of synthetic rubber was a significant achievement, as it provided a more reliable source of rubber with improved physical and chemical properties.
Synthetic rubber offered advantages over natural rubber in terms of thermal stability and resistance to oils and related compounds. It was also more resistant to oxidizing agents like oxygen and ozone, which could degrade natural rubber over time. These superior properties led to synthetic rubber becoming a preferred choice in various applications, including tires, seals, hoses, and flooring.
During World War II, the production of synthetic rubber in the United States increased significantly. This was due to the Axis powers' control over the world's natural rubber supplies, which were largely sourced from Southeast Asian colonies. Synthetic rubber played a crucial role in meeting the demands of the war effort, and its production continued to expand and improve in the post-war era. By the early 1960s, the quantity of synthetic rubber exceeded the production of natural rubber, showcasing the impact of Hoffman's discovery in 1909.
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Plastics are high molecular weight organic polymers composed of elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur
Plastics are synthetic materials that can be moulded into a variety of forms, from beverage bottles to shatterproof windows. They are composed of high molecular weight organic polymers, which are themselves made up of elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur.
The process of making plastic involves converting raw material molecules into monomers, such as ethylene, propylene, and butene. These monomers have double bonds, allowing carbon atoms to react and form polymers. This process is called polymerization, where hydrocarbon monomers are linked together by a chemical mechanism to produce polymers. Polymerization generates thick, viscous substances known as resins, which are used to make plastic products. For instance, ethylene monomers, when subjected to heat, pressure, and catalysts, join together into long, repeating carbon chains, forming a plastic resin called polyethylene (PE).
The versatility of plastics stems from their unique properties, such as low density, low electrical conductivity, transparency, and toughness. These characteristics enable the creation of a diverse range of products, including lightweight beverage bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and shatterproof windows made of polymethyl methacrylate (more commonly known by its trademarked name, Plexiglas).
Plastics are primarily derived from fossil fuels, including crude oil, natural gas, and coal. The theory suggests that these fossil fuels were formed from the remains of living organisms, specifically tiny plants and animals called plankton, that existed during the Jurassic era. Over time, these organic remains were subjected to intense heat and pressure, transforming them into hydrocarbons that serve as the basis for plastics and other petroleum-based products.
The chemical composition of plastics can be altered to customize their properties. This is achieved by attaching different molecular groups, known as side chains, to the backbone of the polymer chain. The structure of these side chains influences the characteristics of the resulting polymer. For example, plastics can be classified as acrylics, polyesters, silicones, polyurethanes, or halogenated plastics based on the chemical structure of their backbone and side chains.
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Frequently asked questions
Polymerization.
Polymerization is a reaction that joins monomers together into a chain. This can be done through addition or condensation.
Polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and nylon.
