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How do monomers join together to form polymers?
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polymer
Industrial polymers are synthesized from simple compounds joined together to form long chains. For example, polyvinyl chloride is an industrial homopolymer synthesized from repeating units of vinyl chloride.
Monomers join together to form polymers through a chemical process known as polymerization, which involves the formation of stable covalent chemical bonds between individual monomer units. The capacity of a monomer to react with at least two other molecules is referred to as polyfunctionality.12
Polymerization is generally categorized into two main types:
- Addition polymerization: Monomers react to form a polymer without the production of any by-products. This process is characteristic of monomers containing a double bond or a ring structure. It is often facilitated by catalysts, which can help control the structural arrangement of the resulting polymer.312
- Condensation polymerization: Each step of the reaction is accompanied by the elimination of a small molecule, such as water. This typically occurs in monomers that possess two or more reactive atomic groupings, such as those found in the production of polyester or nylon.412
Depending on the functionality of the monomers, the resulting structure may be a linear, chainlike molecule or a complex, cross-linked network.21