Question

Polymer isotactic polypropylene vs atactic polypropylene question:

In 1963, Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta received the Nobel prize in chemistry for the development of a process that could be used to produce (among other things) linear, unbranched, isotactic polypropylene. Why was this an important development? What useful properties does isotactic polypropylene have when compared to atactic polypropylene? Describe some applications where isotactic polypropylene could be used, where it would be impractical to use atactic polypropylene. Include drawings that illustrate the difference between isotactic and atactic polypropylene.

Answer 1

Hi
Let us first understand the term tactility of the group.

It means the arrangement of the groups as the side chanin of the main chain.

If all the similar groups are on the same side we call it as isotactic polymer,if they are on the different side we call them as atactic polymers .

Figure is given below showing the two arrangement.
This case generally arise when we use the polymerization reaction.
In the case of the coming monmers that comes to join the already existing polymer chain.
It can join both the ways either on the same
side or on the opposite side forming isotactic and syndiotactic polymers respectively.

In the case of isotactic polymer since the arrangement is continuous we get the high chain length and as a result the crystalinity increases.

This helps in making the polymer dense.
Zielgler Natta received Nobel prize for the discovery of catalyst for it because it is that much useful in daily life . We can find lot of industries today running on it.
Uses of these polymers are

Atactic polymer - low density application like packing plastics etc

Syndiotactic polmer - High density high strength application like non- transparent plastic etc .

Hope this helps
Feel free to comment in the case of any doubt.
Thank you