PBL_Polymer_2021

Topic PBL –1 : Petroleum-based and bio-based polymers

Polymers have been with us since the beginning of time. Humans have taken advantage of
versatility of polymers for centuries in the form of oils, tars, resins, and gums. However, it was not
until the industrial revolution that the modern polymer industry began to develop. Look around you,
Polymers are everywhere. From the plastic bottle to the silicone rubber tips on earphones as well as
nylon and polyester in sneakers.Not only that, many proteins in our body are polymers. So let us now
look into the classification of polymers. Since Polymers are numerous in number with different
behaviours and can be naturally found or synthetically created, they can be classified in various ways.
Although the synthetic petrochemical-based polymers have been widely used in a variety of
packaging materials, the disadvantage is that they become a major source of waste after use due to
their poor biodegradability. Hence, due to the increasing demand in the packaging industries with a
concern of the environmental issue, the usage of natural polymers or bio-based polymers to produce
biodegradable packaging materials is the correct action in terms to reduce waste disposal problems
and to guarantee the quality of the product.

1st Assignment : Draft of article

Your group has been assigned to write an article titled “ Polymers in our daily life” for student bulletin
in campus. The article should give the readers broad information on polymer. The group has to design
and decide what information will be written in this article. There are minimum of 10 issues that you
have to explain in the draft of article. ,

In general, biodegradable and bio-based polymers are high-priced on a weight basis

compared to petroleum-based polymers. Among biopolymers, polylactic acid (PLA) was extensively
studied in medical implants, suture, and drug delivery systems since 80s due to its biodegradability.
PLA has been attractive for disposable and biodegradable plastic substitutes due to its better
mechanical properties.

2nd Assignment: get the solutions of these questions

1. What charactiristics owned by polylactic acid (PLA) to make it has broad applications?
2. How do you explain the cycles of PLA above?
3. What method of synthesis of PLA that you will choose to obtain PLA for food packaging?
Explain the reasons.
4. What factors should be considered if you will use PLA to replace petroleum-based polymers for
packaging material.?

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PBL_Polymer_2021

Some of popular materials used in the food industry for packaging from petroleum-based
polymers include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low and high density polyethylene (LDPE and
HDPE respectively), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS). PET (also
abbreviated PETE) is short for polyethylene terephthalate is one of polyester group. PET is a clear,
strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging foods and beverages, especially
convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water. Virtually all single-serving and 2-liter bottles of
carbonated soft drinks and water sold in the U.S. are made from PET. It is also popular for packaging
salad dressings, peanut butter, cooking oils, mouthwash, shampoo, liquid hand soap, window cleaner,
even tennis balls. Special grades of PET are used for carry-home food containers and prepared food
trays that can be warmed in the oven or microwave. PET was first synthesized in North America in
the mid-1940s by DuPont chemists searching for new synthetic fibers. DuPont later branded its PET
fiber as "Dacron."
Today, more than half of the world's synthetic fiber is made from PET, which is called
"polyester" when used for fiber or fabric applications. When used for containers and other purposes,
it is called PET or PET resin. In plant polymers, such as packaging plant that uses PET, it is common
to use a mixture of various kinds of PET with different molecular weights. Mixture of polymers with
specific molecular weight will have certain physical properties as well

3rd Assignment :
1. How is polyester PET synthesized? If the reaction involved in the process is step-growth
polymerization with condensation reaction, show the reaction that involve two type of monomers
to form PET.
2. How do you explain the condensation step-growth polymerization in general?
3. How do you describe number-average molecular weight and weight-average molecular weight.?
What the difference between each other?
4. In a polymer plant, mixture of polymers with specific molecular weight will have certain
physical properties as well. In the plant, the polymers available are those with molecular
weights of 10,000 and 200,000. How do you mix them so the polymer obtained has number -
average molecular weight 50,000? Will you use different ways to obtain the weight-average
molecular weight?
5. You conduct an experiment in the lab to synthesize PET. You use ethylene glycol and
dimethylterephthalate as much as 2 moles each. Time required to form PET is 75 seconds and
after that you seperate immediately the product and the remaining reactants. Gas
chromatography analysis on the remaining reactants showed the amount of
dimethylterephthalate is as much as 0.0002 moles.
a) How do you write the equation reaction of this polymerization?
b) How do you calculate degree of reaction (p), average degree of polymerization (Xn),
and average number molecular weight of PET (Mn)
c) How do you determine the rate constant of polymerization (k), if assuming that
polymerization reaction is stoichiometric and no catalyst used.

Resources:
• Textbooks of polymers: (Billmeyer et.al. Polymers Science, or Young , Lovell,
Introduction to Polymers)
• Paper online: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-045316-3.00021-1

Notes:
• Handwritten individual reports / summary notes of related assignments. (3-4 pages of A4
or quarto size) and presentation slides (3-4 slides)
• References are written correctly