what are polymers?

Answer 1

Large organic molecule formed by combining many smaller molecules (monomers) in a regular pattern. The molecule can be synthetic or natural.

Examples include:
PVC (a polymer of vinyl acetate)
PTFE (the basis of the Gortex material)
Teflon (a polymer of molecules containing fluorine and carbon)

Answer 2

Polymer is a term used to describe molecules consisting of structural units and a large number of repeating units connected by covalent chemical bonds. The term is derived from the Greek words: polys meaning many, and meros meaning parts [1]. The key feature that distinguishes polymers from other molecules is the repetition of many identical, similar, or complementary molecular subunits in these chains. These subunits, the monomers, are small molecules of low to moderate molecular weight, and are linked to each other during a chemical reaction called polymerization.

Instead of being identical, similar monomers can have various chemical substituents. The differences between monomers can affect properties such as solubility, flexibility, and strength. In proteins, these differences give the polymer the ability to adopt a biologically-active conformation in preference to others. (See self-assembly.) Identical monomers with nonreactive side groups result in a polymer chain that will tend to adopt a random coil conformation, as described by an ideal chain mathematical model. Although most polymers are organic, with carbon-based monomers, there are also inorganic polymers; for example, the silicones, with a backbone of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms and polyphosphazenes.

Answer 3

Broardly polymers are reoccuring chains of a chemical substance or substances. Commonly they are made up or orgainic hydrocarbons to form plastics and resins with ranging properties. Polymers are made up on monomers which are reacted together to chemically bond them. The range is very diverse and many chemicals can be used in combination.

The simplest example is polyethene; this is produced from ethene which has been racted together by breaking the double bond between the two carbon atoms on each molecule and these have then reacted togther reoccuringly to form a chain of CH2 groups. This type of simple polymer is flexable and can be repeatedly melted and then cooled to form it into shapes. You can change the properties of the polymer by making it longer in length or using defferent types of monomer (chemical) or even crosslinking the chains so they can no loger melt and have a heat resitnat permanent shape.

The subject is very broard. Polymers can also be made up of amino acids to form polypeptides, which in tern form proteins - which we are made up of. There are 21 amino acid monomers in this case that make up the life you see by using lots of combinations.

This can also include inorganic polymers such as using using silicon and oxygen as the monomers to make glass, they also can be used as selant and allsorts of applications.

I could go on for hours...

Answer 4

polymer just means a long chain of a repeating chemical unit. So for example carbohydrates are sugar polymers. Plastics are also polymers, e.g polythene, is poly ethene (many ethene units connected together). It is just a repeating structure in a chain. A monomer is one unit, a dimer is two units etc.

Answer 5

I only know this because I had to do a project for the company I work for recently and downloaded this. Not a chemical/process engineer. see this link.

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/POLYMERS/Polymers.html

Answer 6

Basically a chain of identical molecules. Starch is a polymer, as it's made up of sugar molecules in a long chain.

Answer 7

This enough INFO?
Related phrases: co-polymers, soil polymers, sulfone polymers, conductive polymers, linear polymers, conducting polymers, vinyl chloride polymers, electroactive polymers, functional polymers,


Definitions of Polymers on the Web
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=&defl=en&q=define:Polymers&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

Answer 8

Polymers are carbon structures that include one or more atoms of carbon.Polymers usually make up plastic materials and silicone e.g. polystyrene. They bond through a process known as polymerisation and are often known as polycarbons.

Answer 9

They are simply the combination of smaller molecular units into larger larger molecular units (sometimes having the molecular weight reaching into the millions).

A simple example would be the gas ethylene (C2H4) which when reacted under suitable conditions forms polyethylene, (CH2)n, where n can be measured in thousands.

Answer 10

the ward plastic is now used for several man made materia;s that can be moulded into many desired shape or drown into fiber all these material have one common property they are made long chain called polymer