Subject Code Chem 3 Reactions and Interactions of Organic and Inorganic Compounds

Module Code 5.0 Biomolecules II

Lesson Code 5.12 Industrial Application of Polymers
Time Limit 30 minutes

TA AT
Components Tasks a
Ab
Target The target of this learning guide is to: 0.5
1) Describe how polymers are designed for specific purposes such as min
adhesives and conducting polymers.
1.5
Hook Thousands of businesses operate in the synthetic polymer industry today. min
Manufacturers, processors, fabricators, and finishers are some of the functions
of these companies that involve polymers (Carraher, 2013). A wide range of
polymers are used in the industrial manufacture of plastics, elastomers,
fabrics, adhesives, and surface coatings. These compounds can be classified
in a variety of ways. Polymers can be classified according to mode of
assembly (i.e. chain-growth or step-growth) (Solomons et al., 2016).
Polymers can be classified based on the intermolecular forces present (e.g.
elastomers, fibers, thermoplastics, thermosets, etc.). Polymers may seem to be
a very industry-specific topic, and they are to some extent, but they are a
significant part of a number of industries that you may be familiar with. In
this learning guide, we will describe how polymers are designed for specific
purposes such as adhesives and conducting polymers.
18
Ignite Adhesives min

The word "adhesive" refers to a wide range of substances that are used to
adhere one material to another via surface attachment. An "adhesive joint" or
"adhesively bonded assembly" is formed when two "adherends" are connected
by an "adhesive." Adhesive technology also is a "joining technology" just like
screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, brazing, and welding. Most adhesives are made
up of organic components that are either polymers or react to form polymers
(Mark, 2007). The Egyptians used resinous adhesives to bind ceramic vessels
at least 6,000 years ago. Other adhesives (e.g. starch, milk, and glues from
animals and fish) were first used at least 3,500 years ago (Carraher, 2013).

Multiple mechanisms contribute to adhesion. Mechanical adhesion with

interlocking occurs as the adhesive mixture passes through and into two rough
substrate faces. Similar to a hook and eye, the stiff plastic hooks become stuck
in the fuzz-like labyrinth of more flexible threads or fibers. The bonding of
primary chemical groups is known as chemical adhesion. Specific or
secondary adhesion occurs when hydrogen or polar bonds are formed.
Viscosity adhesion is defined as adhesion where mobility is restricted due to
the viscous characteristic of the adhesive material (Carraher, 2013).
Adhesives are categorized according to the type of adhesive delivery or the
type of polymer used in the adhesive. The following are some of the several
types of adhesives that are currently available in the market.

Solvent-based adhesives: They adhere to the substrate by the action of the

adhesive. The evaporation of the solution causes solidification. Bonding is
assisted when the solvent interacts with the substance in some way, or, in the

Chem 3 LG 5.12 Biomolecules II: Industrial Application of Polymers Page 1 of 4

 case of model airplane glues and PVC piping glues, dissolves some of the
plastic. Volatile solvents in model airplane glues and PVC glues, for example,
melt the plastic, resulting in a solvent weld. To aid in the production of a
successful weld, several PVC glues contain dissolved PVC. The addition of
color to commercial PVC glue allows building inspectors to readily
differentiate the application, which is a crucial difference between home-use
and industrial PVC adhesive.

Latex adhesives: They're made up of polymer latexes that need to be above

their Tg (see note below) to flow and maintain good surface contact when
water evaporates. It's usual that latex adhesives use the same polymers as latex
paints. Latex adhesives are often used to adhere pile to carpet underside or
backing.

Note: Tg, or the Glass Transition Temperature, is the temperature when an

amorphous polymer's structure becomes "viscous liquid or rubbery" when
heated. It's also the temperature at which an amorphous polymer develops
glassy-state characteristics including brittleness, stiffness, and rigidity (upon
cooling).

Pressure-sensitive adhesives: When exposed to pressure, they are viscous

polymers that melt at room temperature. To allow rapid flow, the application
of polymers must be above their Tg. The adhesive will flow if you apply
pressure on it. The viscosity of the polymer is adequate to retain and bind to
the surface until the strain is removed. Many tapes are of this kind, with a
smooth back and a nonpolar coating to prevent bonding with the surface that
sticks. It is feasible to separate the two clinging surfaces, although it is
difficult.

Hot-melt adhesives: They are thermoplastics that melt and then cool to
produce efficient adhesives once the plastic has filled surface gaps. Nylons
are widely utilized in this way as well as electric glue guns.

Reactive adhesives: Polymerization and/or cross-linking processes harden

low molecular weight polymers following application. Cyanoacrylates,
phenolics, silicon rubbers, and epoxies are examples of this type of glue.
Plywood is created by impregnating thin sheets of wood with resin after it has
been put between the wooden sheets.

Contact adhesives: Before pressing the surfaces together, they are normally
applied to all of them. Contact adhesives in the automotive industry are liquid
copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile containing carboxyl end groups.

Anaerobic adhesives: They are made up of a mix of dimethacrylates and

hydroperoxides (initiators) that polymerize without oxygen. They are used to
keep bolts in place.

Chem 3 LG 5.12 Biomolecules II: Industrial Application of Polymers Page 2 of 4

 Conducting Polymers

The material and the conductor have an effect on conductance behavior.

Polymeric materials, in contrast to metals, are poor conductors of sound, heat,
electricity, and applied forces. Common polymers can be used to convey and
"mute" these variables. As force is applied, a polymer network, for example,
transfers forces between neighboring sections of the polymer chain and
adjoining chains. Because the polymer matrix or arrangement is rarely as
tightly packed as a metal, the various polymer units are able to absorb as well
as transfer this energy. Some physical forces' comparatively low conductance
can be explained in the same way. Nonetheless, polymers may be engineered
to compete in conductance with metals and other non-polymer materials
(Carraher, 2013). Some of these are listed below.

Photoconductive and Photonic Polymers: When exposed to light, certain

polymeric materials become conductive. In the dark, poly(N-vinylcarbazole)
is an insulator, but when exposed to UV rays, it becomes conductive. By using
electron acceptors and sensitizing dyes, the photoconductive response can be
extended into the visible and near-infrared ranges. The ability of a material to
absorb light and form free-charge carriers, or electron holes, as well as the
ability to "move" or "jump" these carriers when a current is applied, is what
defines photoconductivity. Photo-responsive sunglasses are nonlinear optical
materials that change tint or color based on the strength of sunshine. Some
"smart" windows are built of polymeric materials that change color based on
how much light they receive.

As polymer-intense semiconductor devices, standard transistors and field-

effect transistors (FETs), as well as photodiodes and light-emitting diodes
(LEDs), have all been researched. The electrical character of these materials,
especially conductive polymers, are attributed to their presence of a
conjugated pi-bonding system.

Electrically Conductive Polymers:

Conjugated double bonds are an essential structural characteristic of

conductive polymers. A stronger localized sigma-bond connects each
carbon backbone in polyacetylene. They are also linked by a chain of
alternating less localized and weaker pi-bonds. Though conjugation is present,
the pi-bond electrons are sufficiently localized to avoid delocalization.
Dopants introduce sites of increased or decreased electron density. When an
electron deficiency, or void, forms, electrons flow to fill it, prompting more
electrons to flow to fill the new hole, and so on, allowing charge to flow inside
and between the polyacetylene chains.

Conducting polymers have a lot of promise as corrosion-resistant coatings.

Polyaniline's ability to protect against corrosion, for example, is pH based.
Polyaniline-coated steel corrodes 100 times slower than non-coated steel at
lower pHs. At a pH of about 7, the corrosion resistance period for polyaniline-
coated steel is just twice as long. Making solid-state rechargeable batteries
and electrochromic cells is another area of use. Thousands of cycles have been

Chem 3 LG 5.12 Biomolecules II: Industrial Application of Polymers Page 3 of 4

 performed on polyheterocycles, with certain materials retaining more than
50% of their electrochromic activity after 10,000 cycles. Polyaniline-based
infrared polarizers have proven to be as effective as metal wire polarizers.
They're also utilized in nonlinear optical devices such as optoelectronics,
which can be used in signal processing and communication.
8
Navigate (Graded Assessment) Adhesives and conducting polymers are just two of the min
polymer technologies that exist today. Cite three (3) more industrial
applications of polymers. Describe their applications and how they are
designed.
2
Knot NOTE TO THE TEACHER: This is just a suggested alternative activity/ min
assessment tool that may or may not be accomplished.

Go to https://1lib.ph/book/2837102/999612
Download the e-book entitled “Polymers for personal care products and
cosmetics”. Describe how polyacrylates are used for personal care.
a – suggested time allocation set by the teacher
b – actual time spent by the student (for information purposes only)

References:
Carraher, C. E. (2013). Introduction to polymer chemistry (3rd ed.). CRC Press.
Mark, J. E. (2007). Physical properties of polymers handbook (2nd ed.). Springer Science &
Business Media.
Solomons, T. W., Fryhle, C. B., & Snyder, S. A. (2016). Organic chemistry (12th ed.). John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Prepared by: Mark Merrill N. Mesa Reviewed by: Brenda A. Pelagio

Position: Special Science Teacher III Position: Special Science Teacher IV
Campus: PSHS-CVC Campus: PSHS-CLC

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Chem 3 LG 5.12 Biomolecules II: Industrial Application of Polymers Page 4 of 4