Polimerizacija

Polimerizacija is a chemical process in which relatively small molecules, called monomers, combine chemically to produce a very large chainlike or network molecule, called a polymer. This process is the fundamental basis for the creation of plastics, synthetic fibers, and rubber. Monomers are the repeating units that link together to form the long polymer chains. The type of monomer and the reaction conditions determine the structure and properties of the resulting polymer.

There are several main types of polymerization. Addition polymerization involves monomers adding to one another in such a way that the polymer contains all the atoms of the monomer units. This typically occurs with monomers that have double or triple bonds, such as ethylene forming polyethylene. Condensation polymerization, on the other hand, involves monomers reacting to form a polymer, with the simultaneous release of a small molecule, such as water or methanol. Examples include the formation of polyesters from diols and dicarboxylic acids, or polyamides (nylon) from diamines and dicarboxylic acids.

Other important polymerization methods include chain-growth polymerization, where monomers are added sequentially to an active center, and step-growth polymerization, where monomers react with each other to form dimers, then trimers, and so on, until the final polymer is formed. The study and control of polymerization are crucial in materials science and chemical engineering, allowing for the design of polymers with specific mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties for a vast array of applications.