Polymer
hideA polymer (from Greek πολύ-ς /po΄li-s/ much, many and μέρος /΄meros/ part) is a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of repeating structural units typically connected by covalent chemical bonds. While polymer in popular usage suggests plastic, the term actually refers to a large class of natural and synthetic materials with a variety of properties.
Due to the extraordinary range of properties accessible in polymeric materials , they have come to play an essential and ubiquitous role in everyday life - from plastics and elastomers on the one hand to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are essential for life on the other. A simple example is polyethylene, whose repeating unit is based on ethylene (IUPAC name ethene) monomer. Most commonly, as in this example, the continuously linked backbone of a polymer consists mainly of carbon atoms. However, other structures do exist; for example, elements such as silicon form familiar materials such as silicones, examples being silly putty and waterproof plumbing sealant. The backbone of DNA is in fact based on a phosphodiester bond, and repeating units of polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose) are joined together by glycosidic bonds via oxygen atoms.
Natural polymeric materials such as shellac, amber, and natural rubber have been in use for centuries. Biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids play crucial roles in biological processes. A variety of other natural polymers exist, such as cellulose, which is the main constituent of wood and paper.
The list of synthetic polymers includes synthetic rubber, Bakelite, neoprene, nylon, PVC, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, PVB, silicone, and many more.
Polymers are studied in the fields of polymer chemistry, polymer physics, and polymer science.
For more information about Polymer, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with polymer
How Did Evolution Begin?
Sep 28, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Life's ability to replicate itself is essential for evolution, yet even the simplest kind of replication requires a relatively complex system. So what kind of non-replicating system might ...
Could a paper transistor offer an alternative to silicon?
Sep 22, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- As technology advances, scientists look for ways to enhance electronic applications and devices. Indeed, electronics are getting smaller and more diverse. And as this happens, there is an increased requirement ...
Liquid-OLED Offers More Light-Emitting Possibilities
Aug 14, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- As organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are poised to go mainstream in the near future, scientists continue to explore new twists on the technology. Recently, researchers have fabricated ...
'Writing' Patterns on Carbon Nanotubes With Polymer Chains
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
May 19, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Carbon nanotubes are at the center of the nanoelectronics research movement, with scientists making great progress toward getting nanotube-based electronic devices into the hands of consumers. ...
Adjustable Fluidic Lenses for Eyesight Correction Applications
Feb 24, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers from the University of Arizona have created a fluid-based opthalmic lens in which the amount of fluid can be constantly adjusted to provide customized eye correction. The lens may one day be incorporated ...
Nanocomposite material provides photonic switching
Feb 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Integrated photonic devices represent the wave of future technology. These devices will be extremely small, making use of photons on the nanoscale, and (hopefully) be very efficient in terms of power use. ...
Flexible Polymer Transistors 'Printed' Using Ultraviolet Light
Dec 19, 2008 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Computer and television displays made using flexible, bendable polymer materials are technologies of the future, promising roll-up computer monitors and other innovations. Scientists are making ...
Bioengineers succeed in producing plastic without the use of fossil fuels
Nov 23, 2009 |
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A team of pioneering South Korean scientists have succeeded in producing the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel based chemicals. This groundbreaking research, ...
Two-In-One Punch Knocks Out Drug Resistant Cancer Cells
Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine
Nov 04, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Cancer cells, like bacteria, can develop resistance to drug therapy, leading to relapse of disease. One approach showing promise in overcoming multidrug resistance in tumors is to combine two different anticancer ...
Smart drug delivery system -- Gold nanocage covered with polymer (w/ Video)
Nov 01, 2009 |
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In campy old movies, Lucretia Borgia swans around emptying powder from her ring into wine glasses carelessly left unattended. The poison ring is usually a confection of gold filigree holding a cabochon or ...
Scientists solve decade-long mystery of nanopillar formations
Oct 22, 2009 |
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Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have uncovered the physical mechanism by which arrays of nanoscale pillars can be grown on polymer films with very high precision, in potentially limitless ...
Major advance in organic solar cells
Oct 19, 2009 |
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Professor Guillermo Bazan and a team of postgraduate researchers at UC Santa Barbara's Center for Polymers and Organic Solids (CPOS) today announced a major advance in the synthesis of organic polymers for plastic solar cells. ...
Chemists discover recipe to design a better type of fuel cell
Oct 18, 2009 |
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Fuel cells are often touted as one method to help decrease society's addiction to fossil fuels. But there is still a lot of work to be done before fuel cells will be ready for mass market to be used in transportation, home ...
Silver Nanoparticles Give Polymer Solar Cells A Boost
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Oct 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Small bits of metal may play a new role in solar power. Researchers at Ohio State University are experimenting with polymer semiconductors that absorb the sun’s energy and generate electricity. The goal: ...
A step toward better brain implants using conducting polymer nanotubes
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Sep 29, 2009 |
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ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Brain implants that can more clearly record signals from surrounding neurons in rats have been created at the University of Michigan. The findings could eventually lead to more effective ...
