3.4.9 Polymers - Addition polymers
Students should:
|
Addition
This is the reaction between a double or triple bond in which further units are added to the atoms with the double bond between them, changing the double bond to a single bond in the process.
Like all mechanisms it is categorised according to the mode of chemical attack by the reagent plus the overall effect of the reaction:
Addition polymerisation
This is when the alkene double bond opens and it adds to another alkene molecule and this, in turn, does the same etc., etc.
- Ethene makes poly(ethene)
- Propene makes (poly)propene
- Phenylethene makes (poly)phenylethene
You see the pattern?