What is a monomer?

Monomer is a recurring structure or unit within the type of large molecule known as polymer. The word comes from the Greek mono , which means one and meros , which means part; It is one of the many similar parts of the long chain that forms a molecule. The monomers combine together to form polymers during a chemical reaction called polymerization, where molecules combine electrons sharing in what is called covalent binding. They can also connect to each other and create smaller structures: Dimer consists of two monomers and three, three. Polymers can consist of many thousands of these units. This can affect its solubility in water, its melting, its chemical reactivity or its durability. Two polymers may contain the same monomers molecules, but they can have different properties due to their arrangement.

bonding

The key feature of the monomer unit is its ability to connect to at least two other molecules. The number of molecules that the unit is able to connect isDesigned by the number of active places where covalent links can be created. If it can only connect with two other molecules, structures similar to a string are formed. If it can connect with three or more other monomers, you can create more advanced, three -dimensional, polymers. The carbon element is the basis of most polymers, because it is one of the few elements that can connect in four different directions with four other atoms.

The binding process does not necessarily include two monomeric units that simply combine. In many cases, each unit loses one or two atoms that make up a different product. For example, one unit can give up the hydrogen atom and the other hydroxyl or hydrogen-acid to form a binding, producing water (H _{2 o) as a by-product. This type of polymerization is known as a condensation reaction.}

Polymer types

Polymer, which consists exclusively of one type of monomer unit, is called Homopolymer. If there is more than one typeUnits, it's known as a ko-polymer. These can be grouped into different catagories depending on how units are arranged:

• alternating: Two different units alternate for example ... Ababab…
• periodicals: The given sequence of units is repeated, for example… abcabcabc…
• Block: Two or more different homopolymers are connected together, for example… AAAABBBB…
• Statistical: The sequence of units does not have a solid formula but certain combinations are more often than other
• Random: Sequence has no recognizable formula

natural monomers

One of the most common natural monomers is glucose, simple carbohydrate. It can connect with other glucose molecules in different ways to create a number of different polymers. Cellulose found in the cell walls of plants consists of chains of glucose molecules up to 10,000 or more units long, giving it a fibrous structure. In starch, glucose units form branched chains. Numerous points of branches end up points in KTEThe enzymes can begin to decompose the molecule, which is easier to digest than cellulose.

Other examples are amino acids that can connect and create proteins, and nucleotides that can polymerize with certain carbohydrate compounds to form DNA and RNA, molecules on which all known life is established. Isoprene, a hydrocarbon compound found in many plants, can be polymerized in natural rubber. The elasticity of this substance is caused by the fact that the units are made up of curled chains that can be stretched and which is closed back to the curled state when released.

artificial polymers

Many synthetic polymers have been produced and include everyday materials such as plastics and adhesives. The monomers from which they are constructed often occur, although they can often be produced synthetically. In most cases, these compounds are hydrocarbons - molecules containing only carbon and hydrogen.

one of the examplesIt is ethylene (C _{2 h 4 , a simple hydrocarbon that is produced by plants, but which is produced on a large scale of oil. It can be polymerized to create polyethylene - sometimes called Polythene - the most commonly used plastic.}