Polymer

Polymers are substances containing a large number of structural units joined by the same type of linkage. These substances often form into a chain-like structure. Polymers in the natural world have been around since the beginning of time. Starch, cellulose, and rubber all possess polymeric properties. Man-made polymers have been studied since 1832. Today, the polymer industry has grown to be larger than the aluminum, copper and steel industries combined. Polymers already have a range of applications that far exceeds that of any other class of material available to man. Current applications extend from adhesives, coatings, foams, and packaging materials to textile and industrial fibers, composites, electronic devices, biomedical devices, optical devices, and precursors for many newly developed high-tech ceramics. Plastic containers of all shapes and sizes are light weight and economically less expensive than the more traditional containers. Clothing, floor coverings, garbage disposal bags, and packaging are other polymer applications.

simply a long chain molecule made of many basic organic molecules. example; polyethene(what makes plastic bags) is a polymer of ethene particles.
generally polymers are made when the basic particles are heated under high preasure and in precense of a catalyst eg. rhodium, and platinum.

Polymers are made up of many many molecules all strung together to form really long chains (and sometimes more complicated structures, too).

What makes polymers so fun is that how they act depends on what kinds of molecules they're made up of and how they're put together. Theproperties of anything made out of polymers really reflect what's going on at the ultra-tiny (molecular) level. So, things that are made of polymers look, feel, and act depending on how their atoms and molecules are connected, as well as which ones we use to begin with! Some are rubbery, like a bouncy ball, some are sticky and gooey, and some are hard and tough, like a skateboard.

Polymer  is basically a useful chemical, which is made of repeating units. It can be a three dimensional (polythene), two dimensional (sheets) and one-dimensional (chain). The word ‘mer’ indicates the unit of repeating items that are used to make this chemical. Polymer sheets are very resistant to chemicals. The solvents get easily dissolved in these sheets, and they are safe as well as non breakable.

The advantages of using polymer - Polymer sheets are immune to thermal and electrical contacts. Thus, polymer sheets are used to cover up the electrical cords, outlets, appliances and wirings in a house or a building. In fact, they are thermal resistant, and thus, there is a polymer coating on a lot of utensils, which are used for cooking and other kitchen appliances. Polymer sheets are very light in weight, and it is easy to frame various things with the help of these sheets. They are water resistant and do not get eroded when comes to the exposure of water. As a result of this, rotting and tearing is not a very common thing in case of polymer sheets. They have a high longevity, and thus, a user-friendly thing for the people. Polymer sheets are fire resistant things, and thus, they can easily be used to cover the wirings of a house and also used to cover rain water pipes.

A very simple formula of a compound forming POlymer is known as monomer.Like ethene is a monomer of polythene,tetrafluoroethene is of teflon.When no. of such monomers combined together to form a long chain and having high molecular masscompound,such compounds are known as polymers.Other eg.--nylon 6,6,-PHBV,melamine formeldehyde,nylon 6,Buna-S,Buna-N etc.PHBV and nylon-6 are biodegradable polymers,means easily degraded by nature.

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Source - Quora