Polymers – General

A polymer is a molecule of high molecular mass, made up of a sequence of repeating units. In other words, it is a sequence of monomers, united together by covalent bonds.

They can be natural but also synthetic, and this synthesis can be carried out in different ways:

- By polyaddition : reaction of successive additions of monomers inducing the creation of a polymer chain. Many families of polymers are derived from polyaddition: Polyolefins, rubbers, vinyl polymers, styrenic polymers, acrylic polymers.

- By polycondensation : reaction between two monomers leading to the elimination of a molecule of water. Various families of polymers emerge from polycondensation: Polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, silicones.

Each type of polymer has specific properties , which are defined by its type of assembly, the chemical nature of the monomers that compose it, the degree of polymerization, etc.

These properties allow these materials to be classified into different groups: thermoplastic or thermosetting materials (ABS, PE, LDPE, HDPE, PET, PP, PS, PVC, PTFE…), composite materials …

Schéma synthèse polymère

Polymex accompanies you :

Polymers are used in a large number of industries such as in the building sector (paint, varnish, etc.), in the medical field (materials that make up certain medical devices, etc.), in the food industry (manufacture of packaging), etc.

It is therefore important to be able to identify them and sometimes even to quantify them, missions identified by the laboratory Polymex which, thanks to its 25 years of experience, supports you in the characterization of different types of polymeric matrices:

Analysis on PE
Analysis on PET
Analysis on PVC
PS Analysis
Polyamide analysis
Silicone analysis
Elastomer/rubber analysis
An elastomer is a polymer with elastic properties, obtained after crosslinking. These properties are important because they allow the..
Elastomers

Elastomers