Polymer Science and Technology

Polymer Synthesis and Polymerization

Many monomers are merged together to form a Polymer. Polymer is a combination of repeated long chain units of monomers. Most of the monomers are alkenes with double bond which react in addition to their unsaturated double bonds. To bond two monomer molecules the double bond electrons are used. Once a Polymer is formed all the double bonds are converted a single bonds. Polymers are many types such as linear chain polymers, lightly branched polymers, combed polymers and star polymers.

Polymers synthesis determines the molecular structure and it will help us to avoid side reactions and achieve a worthy product. Polymerization polymers can be of many types. First one is the Chain growth polymerization and second is Step growth polymerization. In chain growth, polymerization is activated by the activation of neighboring monomers of a monomer. High molecular weight polymers are obtained quickly with a rapid process of chain growth polymerization. On the other hand, in step growth polymerization, bi functional monomers are combined in a systematic approach to build covalent bonds. In this process molecular weight increases slowly and in step wise