Question

What happens during polymerisation?

Answer 1

1. Polymerisation is a process of formation of polymers from respective monomers.
2. The polymers are large molecules having large molecular weight.
3. The polymer molecules formed can be linear, branched or cross linked 3D structure.
4. The mode of polymerisation can be addition or condensation reaction.
5. Addition polymers are formed by the addition of repeated units of monomer.
6. For example:
   $$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{nCH}}_2={\mathrm{CH}}_2\to -{({\mathrm{CH}}_2-{\mathrm{CH}}_2)}_{\mathrm{n}}- \\ \mathrm{Ethene}\mathrm{Polyethene} \end{gathered}$$
7. Condensation polymers are formed by the condensation of two different functional groups by the elimination of small molecules like water, alcohol, etc.
8. For example:
   $$\begin{gathered} \mathrm{n}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{N}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_6{\mathrm{NH}}_2+\mathrm{n}\mathrm{HOOC}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_4\mathrm{COOH}\to -[\mathrm{NH}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_6\mathrm{NHCO}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_2\right)}_4\mathrm{CO}{]}_{\mathrm{n}}- \\ \mathrm{Hexamethylene}\mathrm{Adipic}\mathrm{acid}\mathrm{Nylon}-6,6 \\ \mathrm{diamine} \end{gathered}$$