A polymer is any of a family of natural or synthetic compounds made up of larger molecules known as macromolecules, which are multiples of smaller chemical units called monomers. Many components found in living creatures are polymers, such as proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids. Furthermore, they are the building blocks for minerals like diamond, quartz, and feldspar, as well as man-made materials like concrete, glass, paper, plastics, and rubbers. The word polymer refers to an unspecified number of monomer units. A high polymer is a chemical that has a significant number of monomers. Polymers aren't limited to monomers with the same chemical makeup, molecular weight, and structure. Some natural polymers consist of a single kind of monomer. Most natural and manmade polymers, however, are composed of two or more different types of monomers; these polymers are referred to as copolymers.
NATURAL POLYMERS
Organic polymers:
Organic polymers are essential components of living beings, supplying fundamental structural ingredients and partaking in important life processes. Polymers, for example, make up all of the solid components of plants. These include cellulose, lignin, and many resins. Cellulose is a polysaccharide, which is a polymer made of sugar molecules. Lignin is composed of a complex three-dimensional network of polymers. Wood resins are polymers made from isoprene, a simple hydrocarbon. Rubber is another well-known example of an isoprene polymer. Other notable natural polymers are proteins, which are amino acid polymers, and nucleic acids, which are nucleotide polymers—complex structures made up of nitrogen-containing bases, sugars, and phosphoric acid. The nucleic acids transport genetic information inside the cell. Starches, which obtain their energy from plants, are natural polymers made up of glucose.
Inorganic polymers:
Many inorganic polymers, such as diamond and graphite, can be discovered in nature. Both are made of carbon. The hardness of a diamond is due to the three-dimensional network of carbon atoms. Carbon atoms in graphite, used as a lubricant, and in pencil "leads," form planes that may glide across each other.
SYNTHETIC POLYMERS
Synthetic polymers are created by a variety of processes. Many simple hydrocarbons, like ethylene and propylene, may be converted into polymers by adding one monomer after another to the developing chain. Polyethylene, made up of repeated ethylene monomers, is an additional polymer. It might include up to 10,000 monomers arranged in long, coiled strands. Polyethylene is crystalline, transparent, and thermoplastic—meaning it softens when heated. It is used for coatings, packaging, molded components, and the production of bottles and containers. Polypropylene is likewise crystalline and thermo-plastic, however, it is more rigid than polyethylene. Its molecules may have 50,000 to 200,000 monomers. This chemical is used in the textile industry to create molded products. Other additional polymers include polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and polychloroprene, all of which play essential roles in synthetic rubber production. At room temperature, certain polymers, such as polystyrene, are glassy and transparent.
Polyamides include the naturally occurring proteins casein in milk and zein in maize (maize), which are used to make polymers, textiles, adhesives, and coatings. Urea-formaldehyde resins are a kind of synthetic polyamide that is thermosetting. They are used to create moulded products, as well as adhesives and coatings for textiles and paper. Polyamide resins, or nylons, are also essential. They are durable, resistant to heat and abrasion, noncombustible, and nontoxic, and can be colored. Their most well-known application is as textile fibres, but they also have a variety of other uses. Mixed organic-inorganic molecules are a distinct kind of polymer. The Silicones are the most prominent members of this polymer class. Their backbone consists of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, with organic groups linked to each silicon atom. Oils and greases are made from low molecular weight silicones. Higher-molecular-weight species are flexible elastic materials that stay supple and rubbery at extremely low temperatures. They are reasonably stable at high temperatures.
POLYMER CHEMISTRY
Polymer chemistry is the field of research that deals with such materials. The study of natural polymers overlaps significantly with biochemistry, but the synthesis of novel polymers, the analysis of polymerization processes, and the characterization of the structure and characteristics of polymeric materials all present distinct challenges to polymer chemists.
Polymer scientists have developed and synthesized polymers with varying hardness, flexibility, softening temperature, water solubility, and biodegradability. They created polymeric materials that are as strong as steel but lighter and more resistant to corrosion. Plastic pipe is being used extensively in the construction of oil, natural gas, and water pipelines. In recent years, manufacturers have boosted their usage of plastic components to produce lighter, more fuel-efficient automobiles. Polymer chemistry is used in a variety of sectors, including textile, rubber, paper, and packaging materials manufacturing.