Investigation topic 2: Producing and using ‘greener’ polymers
Both natural and synthetic polymers play an important role in everyday life. The cells in animals and plants are built of, and metabolise, natural polymers. Proteins and carbohydrates in our food are both polymers. Synthetic polymers are used for a myriad of purposes in everyday life but may present challenges in terms of the by-products resulting from their manufacture or breakdown, and their persistence in the environment. The sustainability of polymers can be considered in terms of whether these plastics can be avoided by using different products or activities, reduced through design, or replaced by different materials.
Questions that may be explored in this investigation include:
· How do the chemical structures of elastomers differ from the structures of thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers, and what are the implications of the production of elastomers for society?
Elastopolymers
An elastomer is a polymer with viscoelasticity (i.e. both viscosity and elasticity) and with weak intermolecular forces, generally low Young’s modulus (E) and high failure strain compared with other materials. They are often used interchangeably with rubber. Elastomers are usually thermosets (requiring vulcanization) but may also be thermoplastic. Their primary uses are for seals, adhesives and molded flexible parts.
The Efficient Engineer Container: YouTube Year: 2019 URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLE-ieOVFjI&t=111s
Vulcanisation
Ekeeda. (2019). Vulcanizing Agents - Polymers - Engineering Chemistry 1 [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80yMmUy9VRM
Common types
- Natural polyisoprene: cis-1,4-polyisoprene natural rubber (NR) and trans-1,4-polyisoprene gutta-percha
- Synthetic polyisoprene (IR for isoprene rubber)
- Polybutadiene (BR for butadiene rubber)
- Chloroprene rubber (CR), polychloroprene, neoprene, Baypren etc
- Butyl rubber (copolymer of isobutene and isoprene, IIR)
- Halogenated butyl rubbers (chloro butyl rubber: CIIR; bromo butyl rubber: BIIR)
- Styrene-butadiene rubber (copolymer of styrene and butadiene, SBR)
- Nitrile rubber (copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile, NBR), also called Buna N rubbers
- Hydrogenated nitrile rubbers (HNBR) Therban and Zetpol
- EPM (ethylene propylene rubber, a copolymer of ethene and propene) and EPDM rubber (ethylene propylene diene rubber, a terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and a diene-component)
Wikipedia Contributors. (2023, May 11). Elastomer. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elastomer
Applications of elastopolymers
Elastomers are used in a wide range of applications. Some of their primary uses are for seals, adhesives, and molded flexible parts. Application areas for different types of rubber are manifold and cover segments as diverse as tires, soles for shoes, and damping and insulating elements.
Applications of Polymers, Elastomers, Fibers and Composites.
Muhammad Khizar Shafique. (2023). Applications of Polymers, Elastomers, Fibers and Composites. Academia.edu. https://www.academia.edu/11571072/Applications_of_Polymers_Elastomers_Fibers_and_Composites
The full ebook download is available here
Thermosetting and thermoplastic
What Is a Thermosetting Plastic? Definition and Examples
Helmenstine, A. (2020, November 10). What Is a Thermosetting Plastic? Definition and Examples. Science Notes and Projects. https://sciencenotes.org/what-is-a-thermosetting-plastic-definition-and-examples/
Thermoplastics. (2014). Polymers. https://polymers.com.au/thermoplastics/
Mike Sugiyama Jones. (2016). A.5 Thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers (SL) [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fTtrKPySm0&t=33s&ab_channel=MikeSugiyamaJones
Production of elastopolymers
Are Thermoplastics Sustainable?
CDI Products. (2021, September 29). Are Thermoplastics Sustainable? Cdiproducts.com; CDI Products. https://www.cdiproducts.com/blog/are-thermoplastics-sustainable
Biodegradable thermosets polymers as an alternative solution to pollution generated by plastics
