major industrial polymers

Introduction
Carbon-chain polymers
- Polyolefins and related polymers
  - Polyethylene (PE)
  - Polypropylene (PP)
  - Polystyrene (PS)
  - Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
  - Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC)
  - Polyvinyl acetate (PVAc)
- Acrylic polymers
  - Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)
  - Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)
  - HEMA and cyanoacrylate polymers
  - Polymethyl acrylate and polyethyl acrylate
  - Polyacrylate elastomers
- Fluorinated polymers
  - Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
  - Fluoroelastomers
  - Polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)
- Diene polymers
  - Polybutadiene (butadiene rubber, BR)
  - Polychloroprene (chloroprene rubber, CR)
  - Polyisoprene (natural rubber, NR; isoprene rubber, IR)
- Vinyl copolymers
  - Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
  - Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
  - Styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN)
  - Nitrile rubber (nitrile-butadiene rubber, NBR)
  - Butyl rubber (isobutylene-isoprene rubber, IIR)
  - Styrene-butadiene and styrene-isoprene block copolymers
  - Ethylene-propylene copolymers
  - Styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer
Heterochain polymers
- Aldehyde condensation polymers
  - Phenol formaldehyde
  - Urea-formaldehyde polymers
  - Melamine-formaldehyde polymers
- Cellulosics
  - Rayon
  - Cellulose nitrate
  - Cellulose acetate
- Polyamides
  - Nylon
  - Aramids
- Polyesters
  - Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
  - Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)
  - Polycarbonate (PC)
  - Degradable polyesters
  - Alkyds and oil-free coating polyesters
  - Unsaturated polyesters
- Polyethers
  - Polyacetal
  - Polyphenylene oxide (PPO)
  - Polyetherketone (PEK) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
  - Epoxies (epoxy resins)
  - Aliphatic polyethers
- Polyimides
- Polysiloxanes (silicones)
- Polysulfides
  - Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)
  - Polysulfide rubber
- Polyurethanes
  - Polyurethane foams
  - Polyurethane fibres
  - Polyurethane elastomers
  - Polyurethane surface coatings

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

linear form of polyethylene

branched form of polyethylene

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Diagram illustrating a homopolymer arrangement using polyvinyl chloride as an example, showing a chain of identical repeating vinyl chloride units with the chemical structure highlighted.

random copolymer arrangement of styrene-butadiene copolymer

alternating copolymer arrangement of styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer

network architecture and molecular structure of phenol-formaldehyde resin

Related Questions

linear form of polyethylene — linear form of polyethylene Figure 1: The linear form of polyethylene, known as high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

major industrial polymers

chemical compound

Written by

Alan N. GentAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

major industrial polymers, chemical compounds used in the manufacture of synthetic industrial materials. In the commercial production of plastics, elastomers, man-made fibres, adhesives, and surface coatings, a tremendous variety of polymers are used. There are many ways to classify these compounds. In the article industrial polymers, chemistry of, polymers are categorized according to whether they are formed through chain-growth or step-growth reactions. In plastic (thermoplastic and thermosetting resins), polymers are divided between those that are...

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