Polymer | Description, Examples, Types, Material, Uses, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Polymer | Description, Examples, Types, Material, Uses, & Facts? ›

polymer, any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers. Polymers make up many of the materials in living organisms, including, for example, proteins, cellulose, and nucleic acids.

Plastic is a common material that is an example of a polymer. Other examples include rubber, Teflon, and nylon. What are polymer composite materials? Polymer composite materials are materials made from two or more constituent materials with different physical or chemical properties.

Product made from polymers are all around us: clothing made from synthetic fibers, polyethylene cups, fiberglass, nylon bearings, plastic bags, polymer-based paints, epoxy glue, polyurethane foam cushion, silicone heart valves, and Teflon-coated cookware.

There are 3 principal classes of polymers – thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers. Differentiation between these classes is best defined by their behaviour under applied heat. Thermoplastic polymers can be either amorphous or crystalline. They behave in a relatively ductile manner but often have low strength.

Some familiar household synthetic polymers include: Nylons in textiles and fabrics, Teflon in non-stick pans, Bakelite for electrical switches, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in pipes, etc. The common PET bottles are made of a synthetic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate.

Definition of polymers and plastics:

Polymers are chemical compounds in which molecules are bonded together in long, repeating chains. Plastics are a specific type of polymer comprised of a long chain of polymers.

No, a polymer is not a metal. Polymers have large molecules made up of repeating subunits. While metals are usually used for structural purposes or as conductors of electricity and heat, polymers end up in things like plastics, fibers, and adhesives.

A polymer is any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, which are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers.

Collectively, Polyethylene is the most common plastics in the world, but it's classified into three types: High-Density, Low-Density and Linear Low-Density.

Polymers help us to save energy, with lighter vehicles and insulated buildings; package consumable goods; reduce land use and fertilisers, thanks to synthetic fibres; preserve other materials using coatings; and save lives by way of countless medical applications.

Is glass a polymer? ›

The majority of glass is formed of sand, and when we melt it down, we generally add sodium carbonate. This results in a more durable glass. This is the glass you see in jars and windows every day, and it's also the glass used in composites. hence it is not a polymer.

Wood itself contains polymers such as lignin, cellulose, and various hemicelluloses but has very different properties from the synthetic polymers with which it is most often combined. Wood is less expensive, stiffer, and stronger than these synthetic polymers, making it a useful filler or reinforcement.

Polymers can have different properties based on their molecular structure. By altering the arrangement and composition of monomers, scientists can create polymers with a wide range of properties, including flexibility, rigidity, elasticity, and conductivity.

Based on molecular forces, polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, thermoplastics, and thermosetting polymers.

Collectively, Polyethylene is the most common plastics in the world, but it's classified into three types: High-Density, Low-Density and Linear Low-Density.

In the textile industry, mainly nylon and polyester polymers are used. Both these polymers are used in production of clothes in the textile industry.