Question

The Prefix 'poly' means 'many' for example, 'polygon' means a figure with many sides. What is the significance of the prefix 'poly' in 'polyester'?

Answer 1

• A polymer is made of two words, 'poly' means many and 'mer' means unit or part.
• These units are called monomers which are bonded together through ester linkage by covalent bonds and form a larger molecule known as a polymer.
• Example: Polyethylene Terephthalate
• In the first step, purified terephthalic acid (PTA), monoethylene glycol, and dimethyl terephthalate react to form bis terephthalate. Finally, PET is formed by heating the bis terephthalate.