POLYMERS

• Polymer molecules are very large

macromolecules consisting of long
flexible chains with carbon atoms as a
backbone.
 POLYMER STRUCTURE

1. LINEAR POLYMERS
2. BRANCHED POLYMERS
3. CROSSLINKED POLYMERS
4. CROSSLINKED POLYMERS
 LINEAR POLYMERS
• Linear polymers are those in which the mer
units are joined together end to end in single
chains. These long chains are flexible and may
be thought of as a mass of spaghetti where each
circle represents a mer unit.

• Some of the common polymers that form with

linear structures are polyethylene, polyvinyl
chloride, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate,
nylon, and the fluorocarbons.
 BRANCHED POLYMERS
• Polymers may be synthesized in
which side-branch chains are
connected to the main ones, these
are fittingly called branched
polymers.
• The branches, considered to be part
of the main-chain molecule, result
from side reactions that occur during
the synthesis of the polymer.
 CROSSLINKED POLYMERS
• In crosslinked polymers, adjacent linear
chains are joined one to another at
various positions by covalent bonds.

• The process of crosslinking is achieved

either during synthesis or by a
nonreversible chemical reaction that is
usually carried out at an elevated
temperature.
 NETWORK POLYMERS
• Trifunctional mer units, having three
active covalent bonds, form three-
dimensional networks and are
termed network polymers.

• These materials have distinctive

mechanical and thermal properties;
the epoxies and phenol-
formaldehyde belong to this group.
 POLYMERISATION
• Polymerisation is the process of forming a
polymer.

• This process can be classified as addition

polymerisation and condensation
polymerisation.
 ADDITION POLYMERISATION

• The process chemically combines

similar monomer to form a long chain
of molecule (linear molecule).
 CONDENSATION POLYMERISATION

• Two or more chemically different

monomers are polymerised to form a
cross linked or linear polymer, along
with a by-product such as water or
ammonia.