BRAINCAKEAddition and Condensation Polymerisation
Addition polymers are made from monomers with C=C double bonds. The monomer is based on ethene. The double bond opens and the monomers bond together to form a backbone of carbon atoms. There is usually only one monomer but it is possible to have more than one different monomer.
Polyalkenes are non-polar and unreactive. As a result they are not attacked by biological agents such as enzymes so are not biodegradable.
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Key terms in this lesson
- hydrolysis
- The breaking of a covalent bond by reaction with water, or with hydroxide ions in alkaline hydrolysis.
- polyester
- A condensation polymer formed from monomers with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, joined by ester linkages.
- polyamide
- A condensation polymer formed from monomers with carboxyl and amine groups, joined by amide (peptide) linkages.
More in Polymers
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