Sample file. *Learn Basic Information About Polymers *Make a Polymer Ball *Make Slime *Make Floam

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1 S C I E N C E C H E M I S T R Y This Enrichment4You e-guide provides a brief overview of polymers with an emphasis on playful or toy based polymers. In this e-guide you will: PLAYFUL POLYMERS *Learn Basic Information About Polymers *Make a Polymer Ball *Make Slime *Make Floam ENRICHMENT4YOU Published by Henrich Incorporated Copyright 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without first obtaining the written permission of the copyright owner.

2 INTRODUCTION This Enrichment4You e-guide is Part 1 in a 3 Part Polymer Series for Enrichment4YouLive classes. In Part 1, a brief introduction of natural and synthetic polymers is introduced. A brief overview about different types of natural and synthetic polymers is introduced along with how nature has inspired several playful or toy based polymers. Step-by-step instructions with photographs on conducting three different experiments/activities using readily available materials will be presented. 1.. Overview of - Pages Make a Polymer Ball - Pages Make Slime - Pages Make Floam - Pages

3 Polymer Fact Some polymers occur naturally, as in the juice of rubber or aloe plants, and some are manmade. A Brief Overview Polymer is a chemical compound formed from long chains of the same molecule group, repeating over and over. Principles: *The word Polymer can be divided into two parts - -Poly- means "many" -mer means "part" or "segment". * Polymers are stretchable, pliable, and flexible. * Polymers are not brittle, hard, or rigid. * When cross-links are formed in a polymer, its chains of molecules are connected in several places, producing a stronger and more elastic polymer. * The elasticity of some (thermoplastic) polymers is affected by temperature. *So, things that are made of polymers look, feel, and act depending on how their atoms and molecules are connected, as well as which ones we use to begin with! Types of Polymers: There are two main groups of polymers - Natural and Man-made/Synthetic Natural Polymers Plants are made of a polymer called cellulose. Other polymers are starches and rubber.include: 1

4 Proteins *Collagen - main protein in connective tissue *Gelatin - derived from collegen *Silk - When Wallace Carothers invented nylon, he made a polymer with a structure similar to that of silk. *Enzymes *Chitin - It is the strong waterproof stuff that crustaceans like crabs and shrimp use for their shells. Carbohydrates *Glycogen - commonly called animal starch *Cellulose - cellulose is a polymer we can't digest *Starch - made by plants to store energy * Cellulose Nitrate * Cellulose Acetate * Rayon Other Natural Polymers *DNA (Polydeoxynucleotides) *RNA (Polyribonucleotides) *Rubber *Rubber - Rubber is an example of an elastomer type polymer, where the polymer has the ability to return to its original shape after being stretched or deformed. It is both manmade and natural as it comes from trees. *Silicones (alternating silicon and oxygen) -Silicones are inorganic polymers because there are no carbon atoms in the backbone chain. Basically, "organic" means "it has carbon in it" and "inorganic" means it doesn't. 2

5 Man-made Polymers Man-made/Synthetic Polymers Synthetic Rubber: Polyisoprene SBS Rubber Silicone Other Synthetic Polymers: Synthetic Fleece: Polyester Polyethylene Polyester Polyurethane PVC Saran Polycarbonate Epoxy Resins Polystyrene Polypropylene Nylon 3

6 THE CHEMISTRY BEHIND THE ACTIVITIES In the activities that follow, Borax is a common ingredient used to make a saturated solution. A saturated solution basically means a solution in which the maximum amount of material has been dissolved. Any more solute added will sit as crystals on the bottom of the container. As you conduct the experiments/activities, you will make a saturated solution of Borax. It is not uncommon to see some of the undissolved Borax crystals remaining in the bottom of the container. BORAX *The word borax comes from a Persian (Persia is present day Iran) word, burak. *Borax was used with other salts found in the Middle East for a variety of preservation purposes including the preservation of both food and mummies *Later, the word Borax was also used by the ancient Romans, and eventually became part of Middle English. *Borax has also been used to make pottery glazes in China and as a cleaning material. *In Medieval Europe, borax was used as a flux in soldering, to scour metal before it was welded together. In chemical terms, this is written as follows: Molecular formula for Borax - Na2B4O7 10H2O (Sodium tetraborate decahydrate) This means the following: Bassically the sodium atoms bond to the tetraborate molecule (B4O7) while the water molecules fill up the gaps in the crystal structure Na2 = Two sodium atoms. These bond with the tetraborate molecule. B4O7=Tetraborate ion. This ion contains four boron atoms and seven oxygen atoms 10H2O =Waters of hydration, these are water molecules that are present in the crystal structure. 4