Roy Plunkett, pictured on the right, produced the polymer poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon) accidentally in 1938 when he was researching refrigerants - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question c - 2011
Question c
Roy Plunkett, pictured on the right, produced the polymer poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon) accidentally in 1938 when he was researching refrigerants.
(i) Identify t... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Roy Plunkett, pictured on the right, produced the polymer poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon) accidentally in 1938 when he was researching refrigerants - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question c - 2011
Step 1
Identify the monomer used to manufacture poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon).
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Answer
The monomer used to manufacture poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon) is tetrafluoroethene, which can also be represented as C2F4.
Step 2
What type of polymerisation reaction occurs in the manufacture of poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon)?
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Answer
The type of polymerisation reaction that occurs is addition polymerisation.
Step 3
Draw two repeating units of the Teflon polymer.
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Answer
The two repeating units of the Teflon polymer can be represented as follows:
F F
\ /
C = C
/ \
F F
| |
-CF2 - CF2-
| |
F F
This representation shows the backbone of the polymer along with the fluorine substitutions.
Step 4
Give two properties of poly(tetrafluoroethene) (Teflon).
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Inert (unreactive, stable): This property allows Teflon to be used in artificial blood vessels and containers/tubing/plumbing due to its resistance to chemical reactions.
Temperature tolerant: Teflon can withstand both high and low temperatures, making it suitable for cooking utensils, including non-stick pans.
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