SPE Auto TPO 2023 – Automotive Engineered Polyolefins – Engineered Polymers for the Mobility Evolution
SPE Auto TPO® 2022 — Event Proceedings

Engineered Polyolefins for the Mobility Evolution
Powered by SPE Detroit Section

Polymer Structures

SPE & Girl Scout Councils

Polymer Structures

Goal: Scouts will understand the difference between natural and synthetic plastic. Scouts will understand the structure of polymers.

Supplies: balloons*, skewers (thin), hand lotion, cooked and uncooked spaghetti (or use paper clip polymer model). (*These items are in the Color Your World with Polymer Science kit found at the scout store.) 

Activity:  

  • Watch Polymeric Structures video. (Grades K-5 watch video until 2.20 minutes). 
  • Grades K-5: Create models of polymer structures (paper or human chains).
  • Grades 6-12: Manipulate polymers of a balloon. See below.
  • Grades 6-12: Research what a particular polymer looks like and recreate it. Using discarded plastic items, either consumer goods or packaging, design a creative or artistic model of a polymer. Use discarded plastic items, either consumer goods or packaging and design a creative or artistic model of a polymer. Scouts can research what a particular polymer looks like and recreate it. For example: polyethylene is used to make laundry detergent bottles and the chemical formula is (C2H4)n and can be modeled like: 

Human Polymer chain model: Each scout represents a monomer. Hold hands to form a single straight polymer. Have the girls move around the room as a polymer. Now create two parallel polymer lines. Crosslink the polymer by asking 2-3 girls to connect the two lines by holding hands (think of an “H” formation). Have the girls move around the room again. Is it easier to move around the room as a single polymer or as a crosslinked polymer? 

Paper Chain Polymer model: Each paper chain is a monomer. Connect them in a single chain to make a polymer. Move the polymer chain around and notice how easily it moves. Crosslink the polymer by taking two single lines and attaching one or two links between the lines (think of an “H” formation). Move it around. Notice how it is more difficult to move the crosslinked polymer.

Manipulate Polymers: For the balloon activity follow the directions in the video. Before inserting the skewer into the balloon, slide it into the hand lotion bottle to make the skewer slippery. When inserting the skewer into the balloon start at the knotted end (but not in the knot) and insert into the darkest area where the polymers are denser. Bring the skewer out the opposite end again where it is the darkest therefore densest area. Move slowly and twist the skewer into the balloon. 

The smaller molecules that come together to form polymers are called monomers—small units that link together to form a large polymer. Think of monomers like paper clips that link together to form a chain, and that chain is a polymer. Polymers are made of many monomers linked together. Another model to consider: one Lego brick is a monomer and the structures you build with the Lego bricks are polymers.

Plastics and Common Uses

#1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) Soft drink and water bottles, cleaner bottles, peanut butter containers 
#2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)  Milk Jugs, shampoo bottles, laundry detergent bottles, some plastic bags 
#3 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)  Cling wrap for food, window cleaner bottles, medical vinyl tubing, shower curtains, flooring, and home siding  
#4 Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)  Most plastic wraps, bread bags, frozen food bags, single-use grocery bags 
#5 Polypropylene (PP)  Yogurt containers, syrup bottles, outdoor carpet, disposable diapers, deli containers 
#6 Polystyrene (PS)  Disposable plates, disposable cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, straws, building insulation 

Find more information at Smart Plastics Guide1  

Outcome: Students will understand plastics are polymers and that polymers are different based on the configuration of the molecules. 

1Sea Studios Foundation. (n.d.). Smart Plastics Guide - PBS. Smart Plastics Guide. Retrieved September 7, 2022, from https://www-tc.pbs.org/strangedays/pdf/StrangeDaysSmartPlasticsGuide.pdf


This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.

Refund Policy for Events

No refunds available for this event.

Copyright & Permission to Use

SPE may take photographs and audio/video recordings during the conference, pre-conference meetings and receptions that may include attendees within sessions, networking areas, exhibition areas, and other areas associated with the conference both inside and outside of the venue. By registering for this event, all attendees are providing permission for SPE to use this material at its discretion on SPE's websites, marketing materials, and publications. SPE retains ownership of copyright to all photographs and audio/video recording obtained at this event and attendees may request copies of any material in which they are included.



SPE Foundation

Promote Your Business

Chapters

Member Benefits

SPE Library
spe2018logov4.png

Login to Proceedings

Proceedings' Sponsor

Access Your On-Demand Recorded Presentations and Papers

Presentations are available to all registrants of SPE Auto TPO® 2023. NOTE: For those who registered, login to access presentations is required: SPE member login or non-member account login. If you've forgotten or misplaced your login information, please RESET YOUR PASSWORD. To reset your password, you will need your username/email address.

How to Search for Papers

On the Desktop, use the Ctrl+F (Windows)/Cmd+F(MacOS) to search the page.
On Android, click ⁝ (Vertical Ellipsis) on the mobile browser and select “Find in page”.
On iPhone, Safari and MS Edge, click share icon, and select Find in page. On Chrome and Firefox, click on ellipsis (Chrome) or hamburger menu (Firefox) and select Find in page.

Warning

The presentation videos will keep playing even when you close the popup. To stop the video from playing in the background, open the last speaker's pop-up where the video is playing and stop the video.