Polymers | Chemistry for Grade 11 (IGCSE) PDF Download

Polymers: The Basics

• Polymers are composed of large molecules formed by linking together 50 or more smaller units known as monomers.
• Covalent bonds connect each repeat unit to its adjacent units in the polymer chain.
• Some polymers consist of only one type of monomer, such as polyethylene (poly(ethene)) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
• Copolymers, on the other hand, incorporate two or more different types of monomers, like nylon and biological proteins.
• The type of linkage between monomers varies depending on the monomer types and the polymerization process.
• Examples of these linkages include covalent bonds, amide links, and ester links.
• Diagram showing how lots of monomers bond together to form a polymer:
  
• Poly(ethene) is produced through addition polymerization, where numerous ethene monomers combine to form a lengthy polymer chain.
• Addition polymerization entails the successive addition of monomers, resulting in the formation of a long-chain polymer.
• In the process, the carbon-carbon double bond in ethene is broken, allowing multiple ethene monomers to link together.
• Poly(ethene) is formed by addition polymerisation using ethene monomers: