Chemistry Assignment: Applications of Organic Chemistry in Polymers

This report provides an overview of the applications of organic chemistry in polymer synthesis. It discusses the synthesis and uses of various polymers, including Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Teflon, and esters. The report highlights the importance of these polymers in different industries, such as construction, electrical insulation, and food flavoring. It also explores the synthesis of polyethylene terephthalate and Kevlar, emphasizing their unique properties and applications. The report touches upon the environmental considerations of chemical production of flavor esters and the shift towards biocatalytic flavor synthesis. The document offers insights into the diverse applications of organic chemistry in creating materials with specific properties and functionalities. The report also includes relevant references to support the information presented.

Chemistry - Applications of Organic Chemistry 1
Chemistry - Applications of Organic Chemistry
The process of polymer synthesis is producing or tailoring the polymers to meet the
required need by chemically diverse the hydrogels for specific purposes. The synthesis process
depends on the application of the polymer, which means the process may require
biocompatibility, use of mechanical strength or addition to sensitivity to stimuli. The synthesis
process is able to produce synthetic polymers which means they are man-made. Halogenated
polymers such as PVC, Telfon and esters are done to meet specific needs. Polyvinyl Chloride
(PVC) is one of the most commonly used plastic (Earla, 2016). The synthesis on this material has
been carried out increasing out the strength. The PVC are ideally stronger than most known
traditional alternatives such as the copper and ductile iron. Plasticizers such as phthalates which
are more flexible are mostly used as synthesizers in PVC. Due to its ability to resist electrical
conductivity, the PVC is used as insulators and inflatable products.
Teflon is a synthetic polymer which is a fluorocarbon and has high molecular weight.
The polymer cannot be wet due to water or water containing substances. Additionally, the Teflon
are also used as non-stick coatings for pans and other cookware since they are resistance to heat.
They are also used on containers and pipework because they are non-corrosive and not reactive
to chemicals (Blumm, Lindemann, Meyer, & Strasser, 2011). Additionally, when used as
lubricants, the Telfons are able to reduce wear and tear, frictions and energy consumptions in
machines. Some esters belong to the class of unsaturated plasticizers.
Short chain esters have been considered to have pleasant and fruity odour characteristics.
The esters are produced through esterification process of a carboxylic acids. These
characteristics have made them to be commercially be produced in fragrance, cosmetics, food as
well as pharmaceuticals. The flavoring Esters are produced from the extractions from plants and

Chemistry - Applications of Organic Chemistry 2
also the animal sources, although they are not viable due to the small quantities they exist.
Additionally, it has also been discovered that chemical production of the flavor esters is non eco-
friendly due to toxic effects to customer’s health (Yahya, Anderson, and Moo-Young, 2012).
The use of biocatalytic flavor synthesis has been prioritized by industries due to the customer’s
inclination to them over chemical ones. The reactions used are mild operating conditions which
have high specificity and able to reduce the side reactions in order to produced high purity flavor
compounds and using economical means. Methyl ester is a fruity odour which is extracted from
pineapple, apple and strawberry. Distillation process of vegetable oils on small scale is used for
utilization as perfumes. During the synthetic process of the esters, large quantities of ethyl
acetate and butyl acetate are produced.
Polyethylene terephthalate is a polyesters achieved from condensation process. The same
process used in synthesis of simple esters is also used in formation of polyesters (Puts, Crouse,
Ameduri, 2019). Nevertheless, the polyesters have two functional groups in the end of each
molecule. During the condensation process, monomers join together (McCullen, Haslauer, &
Loboa, 2010). Kevlar is a synthetic polyamide which is used to make bullet proof vests. Kevlar
is light, strong and have high melting point. It is achieved though condensation between
benzene-1,4-diamine and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid.

Chemistry - Applications of Organic Chemistry 3
References
Blumm, J.; Lindemann, A.; Meyer, M.; Strasser, C. (2011). "Characterization of PTFE Using
Advanced Thermal Analysis Technique". International Journal of Thermophysics. 40 (3–
4): 311.
Earla, A. (2016). Plasticization of PVC: Covalently linked plasticizers using thermal or copper-
catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloadditions. [Santa Cruz, California]: [University of
California, Santa Cruz].
McCullen, S. D., Haslauer, C. M., & Loboa, E. G. (October 05, 2010). Fiber-reinforced scaffolds
for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: use of traditional textile substrates to
nanofibrous arrays. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 20, 40, 8776-8788.
Puts, G.J.; Crouse, P.; Ameduri, B.M. (28 January 2019). "Polytetrafluoroethylene: Synthesis
and Characterization of the Original Extreme Polymer". Chemical Reviews.
doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00458
Yahya, A. R. M. Anderson, W. A. and Moo-Young, M. (2012). “Ester synthesis in lipase-
catalyzed reactions,” Enzyme and Microbial Technology, vol. 23, no. 7-8, pp. 438–450