POLYMERS

POLYMERS

1. Categories

   • Natural
     • These are commonly found in plants and animals.
   • Semi-Synthetic
     • These polymers are cellulose derivatives.
   • Synthetic
     • Synthetic Polymers are plastic.

2. How to Classify Polymers

   • They can be classified according to their chains' formations, which is based on their density level.

3. Additional Polymerization

   • Are the molecules of the same monomer or different monomers added together on a large scale to form a polymer.

4. Free Radical Mechanism

   • Is a variety of alkenes or dienes and their derivatives are polymerised in the presence of a free radical generating initiator (catalyst).

5. Thermoplastic Polymers

   • These are linear long-chain molecules that are responsible for repeatedly softening on heating and hardening on cooling.

6. Types of Polymers

   • Thermosetting Polymers
     • Are cross-linked molecules that when heated undergo cross linking in moulds to become infusable.

7. A large number of polymer applications in different fields depend on their unique mechanical properties like:

   • Tensile
   • Strength
   • Elasticity
   • Toughness

8. Types of Polymerisation Reactions

   • The addition/chain growth polymerization
     • Cross-linked polymers are usually formed from bi-functional and tri-functional monomers and contain strong covalent bonds between various linear polymer chains.
   • Condensation/step growth polymerization
     • These polymers are formed by repeated condensation reactions between two different bi-functional or tri-functional monomeric units.

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