Global Change LCA Group 5

1. Analyze the plastic Polyethylene terephthalate: a)What are the advantages (think properties) and disadvantages regarding your plastic? (Can it be recycled? Can it harm human health and/or environmental health.)   b)What are the impacts of plastics (all plastics, not just the one you examined) with a sustainability plan: how can we reduce plastic pollution?

Determine if concentrated ethanol and water are incompatible. If they are incompatible, state the hazardous conditions which would result from mixing the wastes.

2. Why is styrene filtered through a pipette of alumina before beginning the polystyrene synthesis?  Polymers and plastics lab Q

In a town (before 1950) where high amounts of PVC products were manufactured, many people in the town and surroundings, experience sickness due to the toxin agent vinyl chloride, a byproduct of polyvinyl chloride (commonly known as PVC) reaction. Hi, can you elaborate on the following: do you think modern day EPA and Federal regulations (if they were similarly in place in the early 1950’s) would have been effective in countering vinyl chloride toxicity problem before it started to affect individuals, or do you think that even with regulation in place this threat might have occurred the same way? Why? Justify your answer.

1. Differentiate between thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers.

the polymers in question are : a) PVC b) PS c) PP

Which of the statement/s below is/are inaccurate? a. Crosslinked polymers are stronger and have lower elongation at break than branched and network polymers O b. Geometrical isomers include syndiotactic, atactic and isotactic types and only differ by their spatial repetition of side group positions. O c. Elastomers typically have higher elongation at break values than brittle and plastic polymers and they don't experience necking which plastic polymers do experience O d. The presence of bulky side groups and double bonds decreases the freedom of the polymer chain to rotate and change it's spatial configuration The higher the percent crystallinity the higher the strength and density, and the lower the permeability of the polymer e.