Alkenes


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  • Alkenes
    • Alkenes and Ethanol
      • Alkenes have a C=C double bond
        • Unsaturated - can make more bonds if double bond opens up
        • First two alkenes - ethene and propene
        • General formula -     Cn H2n
          • H          H          \        /              C = C             /         \       H          H
      • Ethane reacts with steam to make ethanol
        • Cheap
        • Ethane is cheap and not much is wasted
        • However ethane is from crude oil which is non-renewable so could run out - become expensive
      • Ethanol can be made from renewable sources
        • Fermentation for alcohol in beer and wine
          • Raw material - sugar - converted using yeast
          • Process at lower temperatures and with simpler equiptment than using ethene
        • Sugar is renewable - can be grown in poor countries
        • Cheap fuel in countries that can't get petrol
        • Ethanol made this way - not very concentrated
        • Needs to be purified to use
    • Using Alkenes to Make Polymers
      • Polymerisatio-n
        • Most useful thing alkenes do
        • Join lots of small alkene molecules to form very large molecules
        • Many ethene molecules join to form polyethene
          • H         H           \         /              C = C             /         \       H          H
            • ---->
              • H   H   H          |     |     |       - C - C - C -        |     |     |          H   H   H
              • etc.
          • H   H   H          |     |     |       - C - C - C -        |     |     |          H   H   H
      • Different polymers - different physical properties
        • Depend on what it is made of
        • Affected by what temp andpressure it was made at
          • Polyethene - 200*C and 2000 atm - flexible + low density
          • Polyethene - 60*C and few atm with a catalyst - rigid and dense
      • Different polymers have different uses
        • Light, stretchable - polyethene - plastic bags
        • Elastic polymers - tight material
        • New uses always developed - waterproof coatings for tights
        • Dental polymers - fillings
        • Polymer hydrogel wound dressing - keep wound moist
        • Memory foam - smart material - polymer that gets soft as it gets warmer
      • Polymers are cheap
        • Don't break down easily by microorganisms
        • Difficult to get rid of - still be there for years if in landfill sites
          • Should re-use before recycling
        • Will increase in price as crude oil runs out
  • H         H           \         /              C = C             /         \       H          H
    • ---->
      • etc.

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