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2.2.6 Polymers

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Polymers

  • Not all covalent molecules are small; covalent molecules can also be very large.
  • Polymers are very large covalent molecules, sometimes called macromolecules
  • Polymers are large molecules of high relative molecular mass and are made by linking together large numbers of smaller molecules called monomers
  • Each monomer is a repeat unit and is connected to the adjacent units via strong covalent bonds
  • The intermolecular forces acting in between polymer chains are larger than those in between simple molecules so polymers are usually solid at room temperature
    • Common polymers include polythene which is used extensively in plastic bags and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which has many industrial applications, most notably in the production of water pipes.

  • Many everyday materials such as resins, plastics, polystyrene cups, nylon etc. are polymers
  • These are manufactured and are called synthetic polymers
  • Nature also produces polymers which are called natural or biological polymers
    • Examples include DNA, proteins, silk and wool

Polymerisation - Examples of Addition Polymers, downloadable AS & A Level Chemistry revision notes

Polymers are made from very long carbon chains with a repeating unit

This diagram shows a short section of polystyrene, a polymer used widely in packaging materials

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