(A) A condensation polymer is a polymer that forms by the elimination of a small molecule (usually water) from the monomers as they are joined by their functional groups. For example,
cellulose:
... HO-C6H10O4-OH HO-C6H10O4-OH H ...
which produces the polymer:
... -O-C6H10O4-O-C6H10O4-O- ...
The 2 H atoms and O atom which are not in bold are eliminated during the process of condensation polymerisation of glucose (C
6H
12O
6) into cellulose.
(B) The reaction involved in condensation polymerisation is the formation of the same type of chemical bond as when proteins form. Two functional groups join together, eliminating a small molecule. Another example is
nylon-6(polyamide):
... H2N-(CH2)5-COOH H2N-(CH2)5-COOH H ...
which forms the polymer:
... -HN-(CH2)5-CO-HN-(CH2)5-CO-HN-(CH2)5-CO-HN- ...
Bonds are formed when the ends of each monomer is joined with the end of a neighbouring monomer. The carboxylic acid group (-COOH) combines with an amine group (H
2N-) to form what is called an amide link (-CO-NH-).
(a) Polyethylene is an addition polymer. An addition polymer is one which is formed without the loss of any atoms. It involves the opening of a double bond in the monomer in order to join onto neighbouring monomers.
(CH2=CH2)n --> n[ -CH2-CH2- ]
The double bond between the C atoms open up and join onto the neighbouring C atoms.
(b) The
gas phase process is used to make
LDPE. A high pressure of (1000 - 3000 atms) and a high temperature of about 300ºC is used, along with an initiator - an organic peroxide. The produce has significant chain branching. In this process the initiator is not strictly a catalyst because it gets incorporated into the actual polymer formed - one initiator molecule per one or two polymer molecules - per 2000 or 3000 monomer units.
The
Ziegler-Natta process is used to make
HDPE. It uses only a few atms and temperatures of about 60ºC. It uses a catalyst which is a mixture os titanium(III) chloride and a trialkylaluminium compound. This process forms unbranced polyethylene molecules which are able to pack together in a nice orderly fashion.
Wonton beat me to it.
Be nice, wonton.