Synthesizing Nylon 6,6: A Laboratory Experiment on Condensation Polymerization, Study notes of Chemistry

Download Synthesizing Nylon 6,6: A Laboratory Experiment on Condensation Polymerization and more Study notes Chemistry in PDF only on Docsity! 1 CH 2020/2270/2290 NYLON ROPE Synthetic Polymers: Nylon 6,6 Materials From the Chemicals Hood: Nothing from the Stockroom 5% adipoyl chloride in cyclohexane solution 5% 1,6-hexanediamine aqueous solution 20% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution Acetone Background Polymers are large, chain-like molecules made of hundreds or thousands of smaller, repeating molecular units called monomers. Many occur naturally in plants and animals such as cellulose, which is a natural plant polymer made of glucose monomers. Wool and hair are natural animal polymers made of protein monomers. Since the early 1900s, synthetic polymers or plastics have been produced for a variety of industrial and household uses. One common method for joining molecular units together to produce synthetic polymers is called condensation polymerization. During this chemical reaction, a small molecule such as H2O or HCl is eliminated as the larger polymer molecule is formed. In the early pioneering days of polymer research, DuPont successfully synthesized nylon utilizing such techniques. There are different nylon-type polymers. The reaction of adipoyl chloride with 1,6-hexanediamine to form Nylon 6,6 is used in this experiment. Nylon 6,6 is thus a copolymer made by the chemical combination of two different monomers. Each of these monomers is dissolved separately in two immiscible liquids, water and cyclohexane. When these two solutions are in contact with each other, the monomers can only react at the interface between them. The nylon rope is drawn from this polymer film that forms at the interface. As soon as the polymer film is removed, new film forms immediately behind it. Thus the reaction results in the continuous creation of polymeric material until at least one of the reactant monomers is completely consumed. Objective Synthesizing nylon (a polyamide) will illustrate the chemical production of plastics. Some physical properties of these polymers will be examined. Procedure: Nylon Rope 1. CAUTION: Wear disposable gloves while performing this experiment and do not breathe vapors nor let any of the chemicals contact your skin. Carry out the chemical reaction in a fume hood.