Polymers

Course Coordinators
Dr. Anupama Kumar & Dr. Abhishek Banerjee

Department of Chemistry, VNIT, Nagpur

31.05.2022

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 Tacticity is simply the way pendant groups are arranged along the
backbone chain of a polymer

Tacticity (from Greek τακτικός taktikos "of or relating to arrangement or order") is

the relative stereochemistry of adjacent chiral centers within a macromolecule.

The Orientation of the monomeric units in a polymer molecule can take place in a
orderly or disorderly fashion, with respect to the main chain. This difference in
configuration is referred as tacticity. Thacticity can affect the physical properties.

By appropriate choice of Catalyst, Solvent and temperature, one an get polymer of

desired tacticity.
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 Functionality in Polymer
• For a molecule to act as a monomer, it should have atleast
two reactive sites or Bonding sites.
• The no of bonding sites in a monomer is referred as
“Functionality”.
• Depending on functionality of monomer, polymer with
different structures can be obtained.
• Linear molecules are linked with primary covalent bonds and
different chains are held by secondary vander Waals forces.
This gives chain movement in one direction.
Covalent Bond

vander Waals forces

 Classification of polymers based on
intermolecular forces (thermal behaviour)

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Thermoplastic

Thermoset

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Classification of polymers on the basis of method of synthesis

On the basis of method of synthesis, the polymers are also of

two types:

1. Addition polymers

2. Condensation polymers

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 Addition Polymers

A polymer formed by direct addition of repeated monomers without the

elimination of any molecule is called addition polymer.
The addition polymers are generally prepared from unsaturated
compounds. For example natural rubber is obtained as latex from rubber
trees. The monomer of natural rubber is isoprene.
There may be as many as 11000 to 20000 isoprene units in a polymer
chain of natural rubber.

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 Condensation Polymers
These polymers are formed by the condensation of two or more monomers with the
elimination of simple molecules like water and alcohol.

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 Co-polymerization
Joint polymerization of two or more monomers. High molecular weight
compounds obtained by Co-polymerization are called Copolymers.
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