/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 79 Polystyrene can be made more rig... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

Polystyrene can be made more rigid by copolymerizing styrene with divinylbenzene: How does the divinylbenzene make the copolymer more rigid?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Divinylbenzene makes the polystyrene copolymer more rigid by creating cross-links between copolymer chains during the copolymerization process. This results in a three-dimensional network structure, which enhances the rigidity of the material compared to linear polystyrene.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the molecular structure of styrene and divinylbenzene.

Styrene is a monomer with a benzene ring attached to an ethylene chain (-CH=CH2). Divinylbenzene also contains a benzene ring but has two ethylene chains attached to it. The molecular structure of styrene is: C6H5-CH=CH2 whereas the molecular structure of divinylbenzene is: C6H4-CH=CH2-CH=CH2
02

Understand the polymerization of styrene

During the polymerization of styrene, the ethylene bonds of the styrene molecule break and create new covalent bonds with other styrene molecules. This forms a linear chain of polystyrene. The linear chain provides polystyrene with flexibility and elasticity but lacks rigidity.
03

Copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene

In the copolymerization process, styrene and divinylbenzene monomers combine, and the ethylene bonds of both monomers break to form new covalent bonds with each other. Since divinylbenzene has two ethylene chains, it can form cross-links with other styrene/divinylbenzene chains. These cross-linked chains form a three-dimensional network structure, which makes the copolymer more rigid.
04

Conclude the effect of divinylbenzene on rigidity

The divinylbenzene, with its two ethylene chains, creates cross-links between the copolymer chains during the copolymerization process. These cross-links result in a three-dimensional network structure that increases the rigidity of the polystyrene copolymer.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Marathon Problems. These problems are designed to incorporate several concepts and techniques into one situation. For each of the following, fill in the blank with the correct response. All of these fill-in-the-blank problems pertain to material covered in the sections on alkanes, alkenes and alkynes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and hydrocarbon derivatives. a. The first "organic" compound to be synthesized in the laboratory, rather than being isolated from nature, was _____________which was prepared from____________. b. An organic compound whose carbon-carbon bonds are all single bonds is said to be______. c. The general orientation of the four pairs of electrons around the carbon atoms in alkanes is_______. d. Alkanes in which the carbon atoms form a single unbranched chain are said to be_______alkanes. e. Structural isomerism occurs when two molecules have the same number of each type of atom but exhibit different arrangements of the_______between those atoms. f. The systematic names of all saturated hydrocarbons have the ending_______ added to a root name that indicates the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. g. For a branched hydrocarbon, the root name for the hydrocarbon comes from the number of carbon atoms in the _________continuous chain in the molecule. h. The positions of substituents along the hydrocarbon framework of a molecule are indicated by the ________of the carbon atom to which the substituents are attached. i. The major use of alkanes has been in_______reactions,as a source of heat and light. J. With very reactive agents, such as the halogen elements, alkanes undergo _______reactions, whereby a new atom replaces one or more hydrogen atoms of the alkane. k. Alkenes and alkynes are characterized by their ability to undergo rapid, complete ______ reactions, by which other atoms attach themselves to the carbon atoms of the double or triple bond. 1\. Unsaturated fats may be converted to saturated fats by the process of ________ m. Benzene is the parent member of the group of hydrocarbons called ________ hydrocarbons. n. An atom or group of atoms that imparts new and characteristic properties to an organic molecule is called a ___________ group. 0.4 _________alcohol is one in which there is only one hydrocarbon group attached to the carbon atom holding the hydroxyl group. p. The simplest alcohol, methanol, is prepared industrially by the hydrogenation of ________ q. Ethanol is commonly prepared by the __________of certain sugars by yeast. r. Both aldehydes and ketones contain the _______group but they differ in where this group occurs along the hydrocarbon chain. s. Aldehydes and ketones can be prepared by _______ of the corresponding alcohol. t. Organic acids, which contain the __________ group, are typically weak acids. u. The typically sweet-smelling compounds called ____________ result from the condensation reaction of an organic acid with an___________.

Answer the following questions regarding the formation of polymers. a. What structural features must be present in a monomer in order to form a homopolymer polyester? b. What structural features must be present in the monomers in order to form a copolymer polyamide? (Hint: Nylon is an example of a polyamide. When the monomers link together to form nylon, an amide functional group results from each linkage.) c. What structural features must be present in a monomer that can form both an addition polymer and a condensation polymer?

Stretch a rubber band while holding it gently to your lips. Then slowly let it relax while still in contact with your lips. a. What happens to the temperature of the rubber band on stretching? b. Is the stretching an exothermic or endothermic process? c. Explain the above result in terms of intermolecular forces. d. What is the sign of \(\Delta S\) and \(\Delta G\) for stretching the rubber band? e. Give the molecular explanation for the sign of \(\Delta S\) for stretching.

There are three isomers of dichlorobenzene, one of which has now replaced naphthalene as the main constituent of mothballs. a. Identify the ortho, the meta, and the para isomers of dichlorobenzene. b. Predict the number of isomers for trichlorobenzene. c. It turns out that the presence of one chlorine atom on a benzene ring will cause the next substituent to add ortho or para to the first chlorine atom on the benzene ring. What does this tell you about the synthesis of \(m\) -dichlorobenzene? d. Which of the isomers of trichlorobenzene will be the hardest to prepare?

Draw the following incorrectly named compounds and name them correctly. a. 2 -ethyl- 3 -methyl- 5 -isopropylhexane b. 2 -ethyl-4-tert-butylpentane c. 3 -methyl- 4 -isopropylpentane d. 2 -ethyl- 3 -butyne

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.