Polymer

A large molecule built from repeating structural units called monomers, joined into chains or networks. Polymers may be natural or synthetic and range from simple to highly branched architectures.

Monomer: A small molecule that can bond with other molecules to form a polymer. Monomers are the repeating units from which polymer chains and networks are assembled.
Chain-growth polymerization: Polymerization in which monomers add successively to an active chain end. This route grows chains through repeated addition at reactive sites.
Polyethylene: A thermoplastic polymer made from ethylene repeat units. Its simple structure yields widely used films, containers, and molded products.
Oligomer: A molecule composed of a small number of repeating units. Oligomers occupy the short-chain boundary between monomers and high-molecular-weight polymers.
Polymer physics: The study of the physical behavior of polymers and polymeric materials. It explains how chain conformations and interactions produce bulk material properties.
Polymerization: A chemical process that joins monomers into polymer chains or networks. It describes how a polymer forms from its molecular building blocks.
Step-growth polymerization: Polymerization in which molecules with reactive functional groups combine stepwise. This mechanism builds larger molecules through reactions between monomers and growing oligomers.
Nylon: A family of synthetic polyamides used in fibers and engineering materials. Nylon demonstrates how polymer chains can form strong, useful fibers.
Thermoplastic: A polymer material that softens when heated and hardens when cooled, repeatedly. Thermoplastics contrast with permanently networked polymers in how heat changes their shapeability.
Glass transition: A temperature range where an amorphous material changes between glassy and rubbery behavior. This transition helps explain why many polymers become brittle or flexible as temperature changes.

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