It is a chemical process that joins together monomers to make polymers.
Polymerization
Small organic compound that can be covalently bonded to each other in repeating pattern.
Monomer
Large molecule composed of smaller units called monomers.
Polymers
READ ONLY
Monomers combined via covalent bonding to form polymers. In the process, monomers release water as by product in a reaction called dehydration.
What are the two types of polymers?
Natural polymers and synthetic polymers
What are the examples of natural polymers, and its monomers?
POLYMERS - MONOMER
- Starches - Glucose
- Wood - Glucose (Made of Cellulose)
- Cotton - Glucose (Made of Cellulose)
- Protein - Amino acid
- Wool - Amino acid (Made of Protein)
- Silk - Amino acid (Made of Protein)
- Nucleic Acid - Nucleotide
These are made from carbon to carbon bonds (oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur are added)
Synthetic polymers
What are some of the examples of synthetic polymers?
Teflon, PVC (polyvinyl chloride), nylon, and antigen
How does formation of polymers occur?
Formation of polymers happens through addition and condensation reaction
What is the most important site of formation of polymers?
Carbon to carbon double bond
What are the three stages during addition reaction and what happens during those stages?
- Initiation stage - A catalyst is added when heated and splits up into two fragments called free radical or initiation fragments.
- Propagation stage - The unpaired electron in free radicals during the initiation stage will find a convenient target which is the double bond between the carbon atoms. The bond that will be made will create a new unpaired free radical that will also seek a partner, thus creating a chain.
- Termination stage - In this stage, polymers will be made due to the existence of carbon radicals which happens because instead of stealing an electron from double bonded carbons, the carbon atom will steal an entire hydrogen atom.
Polymers are made not by chain growth but by conventional functional group transformations.
Condensation reaction
This occurs with a loss of water and a combination of two different components. In this stage, a dimer (made up of two monomers) exists.
Condensation reaction
