Module Description:

This module, provided by the Center for Nanotechnology Education (Nano-Link), includes background information and an activity on ring polymers. This module is a variation of the Cross-Linked Polymers lesson that is available to view separately. "This version uses a form of sodium polyacrylate, the water-absorbing polymer often used in diapers, that has a different atomic structure than that of the cross-linked polymer." The outcome of this module is to introduce students to atomic structure and intermolecular bonds in polymeric materials.

Module Contents:

This module includes a lesson guide, a PowerPoint presentation, and a lesson standards alignment document. The 16-page guide includes background information about polymers, an activity, questions, information about current and future applications, and more. The activity "... allows [students] to observe and measure just how much water can be absorbed by [a] ring polymer." The PowerPoint presentation also includes background information on polymers. The video includes a short demonstration of the activity and runs 01:30 minutes in length. 

Versions in Spanish are also included for most of the module documents.

For orientation purposes Ring-Polymers-Module - Nano-Link.pdf is included as a separate attachment and offers a sample of the type of material included in this module. 

Below is a list of the files contained within the .zip attachments. The size of each file is included in parenthesis.

Ring Polymers (4 files, 1.9 MB)

• Alignment of Ring Polymer Module to NGSS & CCSS (Ring Polymer.pdf 788 KB)
• Ring Polymers Lesson Guide (Ring-Polymers-Module - Nano-Link.docx 297 KB)
• Ring Polymers Presentation (RingPolymers background Slides - Nano-Link.pptx 765 KB)

Ring Polymers (Spanish) (5 files, 3.9 MB)

• Polímeros de Anillo (Polímeros de Anillo - Nano-Link.docx 776 KB)
• Polímeros de Anillo (Polímeros de Anillo - Nano-Link.pdf 576 KB)
• PPT - Polímeros de Anillo (PPT - Polímeros de Anillo - Nano-Link.pdf 1.4 MB)
• PPT - Polímeros de Anillo (PPT - Polímeros de Anillo - Nano-Link.pptx 1.2 MB)