Designer polymers

Designer polymers

1. Nylon is though, lightweight, keeps water out and keeps UV light out but let water vapour through.

   • GORE-TEX has all the same properties but it is also breathable.

2. GORE-TEX is made out of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethene).

   • The holes PTFE are too small for water to pass through but are big enough for water vapour to pass through.

3. The new types of polymers being developed are polymers that dissolve and biodegradable polymers

4. The problems with existing polymers are that there are not biodegradable therefore landfill sites get filled quickly, burning waste plastics makes toxic gases and recycling is difficult etc.

5. Atoms in polymers are held together by strong covalent bonds

6. Plastics that have weak intermolecular molecules have low melting points and can be stretched easily as the polymer molecules can slide over each other.

   • Plastics that have strong forces between polymer molecules have high melting points and cannot be stretched and are rigid.