Project Report on Polymers.

Polymers from the backbone of the modern civilizatio

n and are the chief products of modern chemical industry. In almost all walks of
life, starting from household utensils, clothes, furniture etc. to automobiles
to space aircrafts, polymers are extensively use. Some of the things are provide
d by nature as such while most of the others are fabricated from natural resourc
es by the people of different skills. For a common person rubber means the mater
ial used in types, plastics means material used in manufacture of electrical equ
ipment. This is quite correct but the scientists and chemists thinkans perform i
nvestigation about it and its modified from is useful for society.
Simple organic molecules contain 30-40 units of carbon atom. Natural rubber has
molecular mass of about 22000 units. Molecular mass of starch is 40000 units or
higher. Molecular of protein have molecular range thousand up to million. The su
bstance having high molecular mass was reluctantly accept in the early twentieth
century. In the 1920's a German chemist Herman Staudinger (1882-1965) introduce
d the new tern-maromolecule of giant molecules. He also devised his own experime
nts to find out the molecular mass of polymers. For this valuable work, he was a
warded Noble Prize for 1953.
Macromolecules, both natural and man-made, owe their great size to the fact that
they are polymers (Greek-many parts); that is, each one is made up of a great m
any simpler units-identical to each other or at least chemically polymerization.
The joining together of many small molecules to form very large molecules. The
simple compound from which polymers are made are called monomers.
Classification of Polymers
1. Classification Based Upon Sources.
2. Classification Based Upon Structure.
3. Classification Based Upon Synthesis.
4. Classification Based Upon Molecular Forces.
Classification of Polymers based upon Sources :
Depending on the source the polymers are classified into two classes :
1. Natural Polymers.
2. Synthetic Polymers.
Natural Polymers :
The polymers obtained from nature i.e. from plants and animals are called Natura
l Polymers. These include starch cellulose proteins, nucleic acids and natural r
ubbers.
Synthetic Polymers :
The polymers synthesized by man in the laboratory are called Synthetic Polymers.
These are long-chain organic, moleculed containing thousands of monogenic units
some of these polythene, polyesters, PVC, Teflon, Nylon, Bakellite and Decron.
Classification based upon Structure
On the bases of structure polymers are divided into three types :
1. Linear Polymers : In these polymers, the monomers are joined together to form
long straight chains of polymer molecules. Some important example of linear pol
ymers are high density polythene, nylon, polyesters etc.
2. Branched Chain Polymers : In these polymers, the monomers units not only comb
ine to produce the linear chain but also form branches along the main chain.
For example : Low density polythane, glycogen etc.
3. Three-dimensional Network Polymers : In these polymers the initially formed l
inear polymers chains are joined to form three dimensional network structure.
Classification based on Synthesis :
1. Addition Polymers.
2. Condensational Polymers.
Additional Polymerization and Additional Polymers :
When the monomer molecules are joined together to form long chain without the el
imination of any by product the product formed is called an Additional Polymer a
nd the process involved is called Addition Polymerization.
Condensation Polymers :
A large number of monomer molecules combined together usually with the loss of a
simple molecule like water, ammonia and Co2 etc. in which formula of repeating
structural unit is not same as that of monomer. e.g. Nylon66, Bakelite etc.