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Polymers are large molecules made up of long chains or networks of smaller molecules called monomers. Natural polymers include silk, hair, proteins and DNA, while synthetic (man-made) polymers include polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester.
What is a polymer simple definition?
polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers. Polymers are not restricted to monomers of the same chemical composition or molecular weight and structure.
How do you describe a polymer?
By definition, polymers are large molecules made by bonding (chemically linking) a series of building blocks. The word polymer comes from the Greek words for “many parts.” Each of those parts is scientists call a monomer (which in Greek means “one part”). Think of a polymer as a chain, with each of its links a monomer.
What is a polymer example?
Examples of synthetic polymers include nylon, polyethylene, polyester, Teflon, and epoxy. Natural polymers occur in nature and can be extracted. They are often water-based. Examples of naturally occurring polymers are silk, wool, DNA, cellulose and proteins.
Why is a polymer?
A polymer is a chemical compound with molecules bonded together in long, repeating chains. Because of their structure, polymers have unique properties that can be tailored for different uses. Polymers are both man-made and naturally occurring.
Which is the best definition of polymer?
A polymer is a very large, chain-like molecule made up of monomers, which are small molecules. It can be naturally occurring or synthetic. Since poly- means “many,” a polymer means “many parts.” You’ll find polymers everywhere: they’re what make spandex stretch and sneakers bounce.
What are 4 types of polymers?
Terms. Synthetic polymers are human-made polymers. From the utility point of view, they can be classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers, and synthetic fibers.
What are the uses of polymer?
Uses of polymers Polymer Properties Uses Poly(chloroethene) ‘PVC’ Tough, electrical insulator, can be made hard or flexible Insulation for electrical wires, windows, gutters, pipes Poly(tetrafluoroethene) ‘PFTE’ Slippery, chemically unreactive Non-stick coatings for pans, containers for laboratory substances.
What are two types of polymers?
Polymers are of two types: naturally occurring and synthetic or man made.
Is hair a polymer?
Silk and hair are polymers known as polypeptides. Cellulose, which makes up the cell wall of plants, is another natural polymer. The proteins we eat, and which we’re made of, are polymers made up of amino acids. And even our DNA is a polymer—it’s made of monomers called nucleotides.
What are the 3 main types of polymers?
There are 3 principal classes of polymers – thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers. Differentiation between these classes is best defined by their behaviour under applied heat. Thermoplastic polymers can be either amorphous or crystalline. They behave in a relatively ductile manner but often have low strength.
Which is an example of a biological polymer?
They are produced by polymerization, and occur either naturally or synthetically. Examples of natural polymers are cellulose, shellac and amber. Biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids play crucial roles in biological processes. A polymer produced by a living organism is called a biopolymer.
Is cotton a polymer?
Cotton is a polymer which is made up of cellulose. Cellulose is a carbohydrate which is also a polymer of repeated chains of glucose.
Is polymer A plastic?
Plastics are polymers. A polymer is a substance made of many repeating units. The word polymer comes from two Greek words: poly, meaning many, and meros, meaning parts or units.
Is the characteristic of polymer?
Some of the useful properties of various engineering polymers are high strength or modulus to weight ratios (light weight but comparatively stiff and strong), toughness, resilience, resistance to corrosion, lack of conductivity (heat and electrical), color, transparency, processing, and low cost.
What is a polymer melt?
Polymer melts are solvent-free, viscoelastic liquids consisting of entangled macromolecules with a monomer volume fraction ηm=πρmb3/6 comparable with that of simple liquids.
What’s another word for polymer?
In this page you can discover 16 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for polymer, like: nanocomposites, thermoplastic, semiconductor, coating, , polymeric, polymers, elastomer, , nanoparticles and nanostructures.
Is PVC a polymer?
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is one of the most widely used polymers in the world. Due to its versatile nature, PVC is used extensively across a broad range of industrial, technical and everyday applications including widespread use in building, transport, packaging, electrical/electronic and healthcare applications.
Is Glue a polymer?
The glue has long flexible molecules in it called polymers. These polymer molecules slide past each other as a liquid.
What are the classification of polymers?
The most common way of classifying polymers is to separate them into three groups – thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers. The thermoplastics can be divided into two types – those that are crystalline and those that are amorphous.
Are amino acids polymers?
A poly(amino acid) is a polymer composed of amino acids as monomeric units. Structural and functional proteins, polypeptides, peptides and polymers derived from amino acids, that is, poly(β-alanine) and ɛ-poly(lysine), are classified as poly(amino acid)s.
Why proteins are called biological polymer?
All the cells are basically made up of proteins. Enzymes which carry out biological reactions are also proteinaceous in nature. Antibodies, haemoglobin and even adrenaline receptors are all proteins. Therefore, they are called as biological polymers.
What are the advantages of polymer?
Polymers are more resistant to chemicals than their metal counterparts. Polymer parts do not require post-treatment finishing efforts, unlike metal. Polymer and composite materials are up to ten times lighter than typical metals.
What are commonly used polymers?
The eight most common types of synthetic organic polymers, which are commonly found in households are: Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) High-density polyethylene (HDPE) Polypropylene (PP) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polystyrene (PS) Nylon, nylon 6, nylon 6,6. Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene) Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU).
How do polymers work?
When monomers join with other monomers through the process of creating covalent bonds, they form larger molecules, called polymers. If it bonds with three or more molecules then three-dimensional, cross-linked structures can form [source: Innovate Us]. Polymers can occur naturally, or we can manufacture them.
Is rubber a polymer?
Natural rubber is a polymer, a long, chain like molecule that contains repeating subunits. The term polymer comes from the Greek “poly” meaning many and “mer” meaning parts. The chemical name for natural rubber is polyisoprene. The monomer (meaning “one-part”) from which it is built is isoprene.
Are proteins polymers?
Definition. Proteins are polymers in which the 20 natural amino acids are linked by amide bonds. These nonribosomal peptides and amino acids often play an important role in structural and functional proteins.
