What can you use polymers for

This information includes factual, theoretical, and practical concepts presented in science. It is of use to those who want to be simply well educated, as well as to those who like to pursue medicine, engineering, physics, chemistry, biomedical sciences, law, business, etc. Synthetic and natural polymers could be used in the form of inorganic and organic polymers; coatings, elastomers, adhesives, blends, plastics, fibers, caulks, ceramics, and composites.

The basic principles that are applied to one polymer category are applied to all other categories along with a few simple fundamental rules. These fundamentals are integrated into the fabric of the polymer texts. It is not surprising that nearly all material scientists and more than half of all chemists and chemical engineers, a large number of physicists, textile technologists, mechanical engineers, pharmacists and other scientific groups are involved in research and development projects related to polymers.

It is obvious why the study of giant molecules is one of the most attended and the fastest growing fields of science. Therefore, it seems that polymer is not a specialized interdisciplinary or branch of chemistry. Instead, it is a specialized, broad and unique discipline that could cover some parts of chemistry and several other scientific fields as well. The fields of science have always become very active when research groups trained in one specialized field turn their interests to a related field.

This has always been and in the future, will be especially true in polymer research works. The requirement in polymer is the application of ideas and chemistry knowledge and techniques to complex materials and macromolecules. This is a fundamental task, and it demands the very best ways that chemistry could provide. Perhaps polymer chemistry, more than any other research field, crosses over and cuts the traditional lines of all branches of chemistry, biology, physics, material, engineering, pharmacy, and even medicine.

And, a newcomer to polymer science requires enough ability to mix together the vast knowledge from all aforementioned fields. Therefore, this editorial has been written to show the very significant and unforgettable roles of polymers in human life. Professor Hassan Namazi received his PhD in natural polymer chemistry from University of Dalhousie, Canada in with a minor in dendrimer and carbohydrate chemistry.

He joined to the University of Tabriz as the staff member in and now serves as full professor. He has published 4 books and scientific papers in highly ranked journals.

In , he won an award and honor diploma from Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences as the top distinguished researcher in Iran.

He has also received many academic awards and national medals of merit for outstanding research activities in , , and National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List Bioimpacts v. Published online Jun Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Polycarbonate also includes an ester linkage within the polymer back-bone. Ester functional groups are a less polar functional group than an alcohol group. Polystyrene is found in many products including: license plate frames, CD cases, Petri dishes, insulation and Styrofoam packing peanuts.

Polystyrene's monomer unit is similar to polyethylene and poly vinyl chloride , in which a hydrogen atom in polyethylene monomer is substituted with a six-membered aromatic ring, in the case of polystyrene see Figure 4.

Ring stacking can also be observed between chains of polystyrene as with polycarbonate. Polyacrylamides are used in a various applications ranging from water purifiers, paper coating, cosmetic additives, photographic emulsion and contact lenses. Again, polyacrylamide can be derived from polyethylene by substituting a hydrogen atom with an amide functional group. The final monomer featured in Figure 2 is the monomer unit for polyurethane. Polyurethanes are used in foams, paints, adhesives and spandex.

This monomer is similar to polycarbonate in that it cannot be derived from polyethylene's monomer unit. Polyurethanes are connected by urethane linkages. A cross-link is a covalent bond formed between two polymer chains in a material see Figure 5. These covalent bonds cause the polymer chains within a polymeric material to become networked. A polymer network is a network in which all polymer chains are interconnected to form a single macroscopic entity by many crosslinks.

In general, cross-links tend to make the polymer chain closer together and cause the material to become more rigid. In the associated activity, Let's Make Silly Putty , studentsuse hydroxy tetraborate to form four covalent bonds between two poly vinyl alcohol chains when making imitation Silly Putty. Depending on the degree of cross-linking within a material, the polymer chain will have different properties.

When no cross-links are present to chemically link the chain together, the chains are able to move much more freely.

Long-chain polymers often have many kinks in the chains, and these kinks can move and un-kink, causing the material to stretch. To illustrate this point, imagine a kink in a garden hose; the kinks loosen after enough force is applied, which is similar to how polymeric materials stretch. The act of stretching a polymer forces the polymer chain to align with each other because of the force applied to the material.

When many long polymer chains with a large number of cross-links are present within a material, the chains are chemically linked, making the material more rigid. Thus, the degree of cross-linking throughout a material is very important in understanding how the physical properties of the material change. In other words, more cross-linking within a polymeric material results in a more rigid material, whereas less cross-linking results in a more elastic material.

Figure 5: Cross-linking within a polymer. Watch this activity on YouTube. Remember, cross-linking affects polymeric material properties by limiting the motion of individual polymer chains within a material as highlighted visually in Figure 5. We can see the effect of cross-linking on polymeric materials by comparing the strength of polyethylene and cross-linked polyethylene.

Polyethylene, as discussed previously, is used to make plastic shopping bags and many plastic containers, whereas cross-linked polyethylene abbreviated as PEX tubing is used in plumbing applications. The strengths of a polyethylene plastic bag and a water pipe made from cross-linked polyethylene are very different. Cross-linking of the polymer chains strengthens the material properties present in PEX tuning.

Monomers can be combined in various repeating patterns to form different types of polymers. Worksheet: Have students complete the Polymer Worksheet. Review their answers to gauge their comprehension. Recycling Drive: Ask students to each bring in several examples of polymeric materials for a class recycling drive. Use this opportunity to identify the seven recycling codes see Figure 6 and discuss the chemical properties of each plastic material. Consumer products also typically use an initial stamp to signify the chemical compositions of the polymer used to create the material.

Although recycling codes are usually placed on polymeric materials, not all polymeric materials used in consumer products are labeled with recycling coded and not all polymeric materials are actually recycled.

Frequently, this is because some polymeric materials are extremely durable, making recycling of the material costly and time consuming. Another roadblock to recycling some plastics is non-existent demand for the post-recycled materials. To make the use of recycled materials more common in consumer products, it helps to increase the demand by purchasing recycled materials or products that use post-recycled plastic.

Polymeric materials, as demonstrated in this lesson and in Figures 2 and 6, are not all chemically the same. This fact alone makes recycling all of these different plastic materials challenging, time consuming and costly. Another consideration is that many consumer products are made with blended polymeric materials, meaning that more than one polymer is used. These blended and composite plastics may not be able to use the same recycling process, making recycling costly and challenging for them.

Some success has been achieved in recycling certain polymeric materials, such as polyethylene terephthalate PETE , which is used to make plastic bottles, packaging and plastic containers. Its post-recycled material has found a niche application as a polyester insulation fiber used in winter jackets, pillows, bedding and carpeting. Figure 6: Common abbreviations for recycling codes and their polymer name and structure. Research Projects: Have students either in small groups or individually research an assigned polymeric material, investigating its chemical properties, processing techniques and applications.

Have students describe how the material's properties and processing techniques enable the polymer to function well in various applications. Optionally, ask students to include schematics of the polymer chains and describe how certain functional groups interact with other functional groups between different polymer chains.

Use this as an opportunity to incorporate scientific writing guides, electronic researching tools, and scientific citation into the class. Homework: Lead a class discussion about possible types of plastics that students use at home. Ask them to bring in examples not mentioned in the lesson presentation and talk about their polymer types and properties.

Select polymeric materials based on the chemical structures mentioned in the PowerPoint presentation and summarized in Figure 2. Additionally, have students each locate a material made from a polymer and be prepared to explain its chemical structure to the class. Note: The animation in the attached PowerPoint presentation v. Thus, with the increase in the use of polymers, this agenda has become important.

This is considering the methods of decomposition and collection of materials are not efficient. Do not worry yet: biodegradable polymers in everyday life can be good solutions. Even so, what are biodegradable polymers, and what is it for? While it is not recyclable, it is excellent for companies looking for alternatives that contribute positively to the health of the environment.

This is only possible due to these compounds being non-polluting and not needing special disposal. Did you like to learn about the use of some polymers? On the Polyexcel blog, there is always content filled with important and relevant information about the polymeric market. In order not to miss anything, you can also follow us through our social networks! Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What are the uses of polymers? Check out the main applications. Polymers function With the countless technological advances, the polymeric industry has become increasingly important in maintaining the contemporary lifestyle. Polymers applications Having understood the uses of polymers, the next step is to know what are the options available on the market and the applications of each one. Polycarbonate PC Polycarbonate is a long-chain compound, formed by functional groups linked to carbonate groups.

Polyurethane PU This polymer is composed of a chain of organic units connected by urethane links. Polystyrene PS Polystyrene is a homopolymer formed by the polymerization of the styrene monomer.

Polyvinyl chloride PVC Polyvinyl chloride is one of the most produced synthetic polymers in the world. Polypropylene PP Belonging to the group of polyolefins, polypropylene, also called polypropene, is a thermoplastic compound produced by polymerization by adding the propylene monomer.