Polymer: Difference between revisions
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A polymer is a | A polymer is a macromolecule created by the joining of many single monomer units through the formation of covalent bonds. The monomers are similar or repetitive units and when joined create a molecule that is usually chained. The process by which polymers form is known as polymerisation. | ||
Polymers can exist naturally, for example proteins are polymers. They are formed from the joining of many amino acid monomers in dipeptide bonds to form a polypeptide chain. Another example is polysaccharides, which are formed from the joining of carbohydrate molecules in glycosidic bonds. Starch and glycogen are two polysaccharides that are essential in storage in cells. Polymers can also be synthetically made and are extrememly useful in industry. Examples of synthetic polymers are nylon, polyethylene and Teflon. They are formed mainly from the polymerisation of alkenes, therefore are made up of many carbon atoms. Synthetic polymers have many uses and are very valuable to us, more recently have been employed in a variety of biomedical applications ranging from implantable devices to controlled drug delivery. | |||
Most commonly, the continuously linked backbone of a polymer used for the preparation of plastics consists mainly of carbon atoms. A simple example is polyethylene, whose repeating unit is based on ethylene monomer. <br> | |||
Revision as of 12:03, 1 December 2011
A polymer is a macromolecule created by the joining of many single monomer units through the formation of covalent bonds. The monomers are similar or repetitive units and when joined create a molecule that is usually chained. The process by which polymers form is known as polymerisation.
Polymers can exist naturally, for example proteins are polymers. They are formed from the joining of many amino acid monomers in dipeptide bonds to form a polypeptide chain. Another example is polysaccharides, which are formed from the joining of carbohydrate molecules in glycosidic bonds. Starch and glycogen are two polysaccharides that are essential in storage in cells. Polymers can also be synthetically made and are extrememly useful in industry. Examples of synthetic polymers are nylon, polyethylene and Teflon. They are formed mainly from the polymerisation of alkenes, therefore are made up of many carbon atoms. Synthetic polymers have many uses and are very valuable to us, more recently have been employed in a variety of biomedical applications ranging from implantable devices to controlled drug delivery.
Most commonly, the continuously linked backbone of a polymer used for the preparation of plastics consists mainly of carbon atoms. A simple example is polyethylene, whose repeating unit is based on ethylene monomer.