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A polymer (/ ˈ p ɒ l ɪ m ər / [4] [5]) is a substance or material that consists of very large molecules, or macromolecules, that are constituted by many repeating subunits derived from one or more species of monomers. [6] Due to their broad spectrum of properties, [7] both synthetic and natural polymers play essential and ubiquitous roles ...
Note 1: Artificial polymer should also be used in the case of chemically modified biopolymers. Note 2: Biochemists are now capable of synthesizing copies of biopolymers that should be named Synthetic biopolymer to make a distinction with true biopolymers. Note 3: Genetic engineering is now capable of generating non-natural analogues
Structural biology is the study of the structural properties of biopolymers. In contrast, most synthetic polymers have much simpler and more random (or stochastic) structures. This fact leads to a molecular mass distribution that is missing in biopolymers.
Polymer chemistry is a sub-discipline of chemistry that focuses on the structures, chemical synthesis, and chemical and physical properties of polymers and macromolecules. The principles and methods used within polymer chemistry are also applicable through a wide range of other chemistry sub-disciplines like organic chemistry , analytical ...
To customize the properties of a plastic, different molecular groups called side chains hang from this backbone; they are usually attached to the monomers before the monomers themselves are linked together to form the polymer chain. The structure of these side chains influences the properties of the polymer.
Rubber is a natural polymer of isoprene (polyisoprene), and an elastomer (a stretchy polymer). Polymers are simply chains of molecules that can be linked together. Rubber is one of the few naturally occurring polymers and prized for its high stretch ratio, resilience, and water-proof properties.
The mechanical properties of biodegradable polymers can be enhanced with the addition of fillers or other polymers to make a composite, blend, or copolymer. Some fillers are natural fiber reinforcements such as silk nanofibers, bamboo, jute, in addition to nano-clay, and carbon nanotubes as alternatives to name a few.
Chemistry classifies monomers by type, and two broad classes based on the type of polymer they form. By type: natural vs synthetic, e.g. glycine vs caprolactam, respectively; polar vs nonpolar, e.g. vinyl acetate vs ethylene, respectively; cyclic vs linear, e.g. ethylene oxide vs ethylene glycol, respectively; By type of polymer they form: