Reactions of Synthetic Polymers
- How can polymers do a reaction?
o when came in contact with a chemical reagent
o when heated to a high temperature
o irradiation with UV-light/electron beam
- Classes of Synthetic Polymers Reaction
o Reactions of the main chain
▪ Depolymerization
• Electron beam depolymerization
• Hydrolytic chain cleavage
• Generation of skeletal unsaturation
▪ Hydrogenation
▪ Enzymatic degradation
• Polymers that degrade when discarded ( polybutadiene t polyesters
and polyurethane)
▪ Oxidation
▪ High-temperature degradation
▪ Synthesis of thermo-stable polymers
o Reactions involving the side chain.
▪ Hydrolysis
• Reaction within structure: presence of active O-
• Problem arises
❖ Combined polymer is bulkier
❖ Addition of new functional group harder
▪ Polymer as support in organic reaction
• Act as carrier/support for chemical,reagents, catalyst,substrates
• Eg: immobilization of enzyme
▪ Graft polymer formation
• Side chain transfer
❖ Free radical
❖ Chain
• Irradiation
• Mechanical blending
▪ Surface reactions of polymers
• Surface fluoronation
❖ To generate hydrophobicity
❖ Advantages:
❖ Increase biomedical compatibility
❖ Increase oxidation resistance
❖ Increase solvent/fuel resistance
• Surface nitration and sulfonation
❖ Does not effect bulk properties
❖ Introduced new functional groups:
▪ NO2
▪ NH2
▪ SO3H (increases the polymer hydrophobicity)
• Surface oxidation
- How can polymers do a reaction?
o when came in contact with a chemical reagent
o when heated to a high temperature
o irradiation with UV-light/electron beam
- Classes of Synthetic Polymers Reaction
o Reactions of the main chain
▪ Depolymerization
• Electron beam depolymerization
• Hydrolytic chain cleavage
• Generation of skeletal unsaturation
▪ Hydrogenation
▪ Enzymatic degradation
• Polymers that degrade when discarded ( polybutadiene t polyesters
and polyurethane)
▪ Oxidation
▪ High-temperature degradation
▪ Synthesis of thermo-stable polymers
o Reactions involving the side chain.
▪ Hydrolysis
• Reaction within structure: presence of active O-
• Problem arises
❖ Combined polymer is bulkier
❖ Addition of new functional group harder
▪ Polymer as support in organic reaction
• Act as carrier/support for chemical,reagents, catalyst,substrates
• Eg: immobilization of enzyme
▪ Graft polymer formation
• Side chain transfer
❖ Free radical
❖ Chain
• Irradiation
• Mechanical blending
▪ Surface reactions of polymers
• Surface fluoronation
❖ To generate hydrophobicity
❖ Advantages:
❖ Increase biomedical compatibility
❖ Increase oxidation resistance
❖ Increase solvent/fuel resistance
• Surface nitration and sulfonation
❖ Does not effect bulk properties
❖ Introduced new functional groups:
▪ NO2
▪ NH2
▪ SO3H (increases the polymer hydrophobicity)
• Surface oxidation
