Man-Made Polymers
Man-Made polymers are exactly what they sound like. Polymers that were created by mankind. Many things that humans use are man-made or synthetic. The monomers used in Synthetic monomers are usually obtained from petroleum after going through the refining or cracking process. In polythene the monomers are ethene. In polypropene the monomers are propene. In PVC the monomers are Choroethene. In nylon the monomers are hexane. We use synthetic polymers because they are relatively cheap, easy to be shaped, can be coloured, very stable, and do not decay or corrode. Some disadvantages to using them is they are difficult to dispose of, cause pollution, not easily biodegradable, can cause flash floods, and when burnt give off harmfull gases. Some of the "synthetic" polymers that humans use are like Polyester, Spandex, nylon which are all man-made/synthetic fibers used for clothing and carpeting. Man-made polymers also keep people safe and comfortable. Kevlar is used in bulletproof vests and bulletproof glass is made from polycarbonate. Automobile windshields are made of safety glass, which is a layer of polymer sandwiched between two sheets of glass. The polymer keeps the shards of glass from becoming dangerous projectiles during a collision. Car bumpers are made of polymers that are designed to absorb much of the shock of an impact and polymeric foams are used as seat cushions. Special polymers protect airplane passengers from the deafening roar of the engines. Rubber is a very versatile synthetic polymer. It is an elastomers, which means it can be highly deformed and it will return quickly to its original state when release. Elastic, tires, and rubber bands are examples of things made with rubber.