Characterising polymers

When many molecules of a simple compound join together, the product is called a polymer, and the process is polymerisation. The simple compounds whose molecules join together to form the polymers are called monomers. A polymer is a chain of atoms, providing a backbone, to which atoms or groups of atoms are joined

Types of polymers, their properties and characteristics are key topics on all A-level exam specifications.

This volume’s ‘Focus on industry’ columns will provide an overview of the main types of polymers, showing how they are made, how their structures govern their general properties and how these properties can be refined by their formulation using a range of additives. A range of processing techniques can be used to convert polymers into a vast number of different products. We will also look at how polymers are recycled within the chemical industry.