monòmer

Monomer is a word derived from "monos" which means single in Greek, and "meros" which means parts in Greek. In the context of chemistry, a monomer is a molecule that can bind with other identical or similar molecules to form a polymer. This process is called polymerization. Monomers may be large molecules, such as proteins, or small molecules like ethylene or propylene, and they can be naturally occurring or artificially synthesized.

In polymerization, two or more monomers react chemically to form a polymer chain. This reaction typically involves a condensation polymerization, where two monomers combine to form a larger molecule with the release of a small molecule like water. However, monomers can also self-assemble through non-covalent interactions, such as hydrogen bonding or van der Waals forces, to form supramolecular polymers.

The study of monomers has numerous applications in various fields, including materials science, medicine, and biotechnology. For instance, bioengineered monomers can be designed to have specific properties that make them suitable for tissue engineering. In materials science, researchers have developed novel monomers that yield high-performance polymers with unique optical, electrical, or mechanical properties. The controlled synthesis of monomers is therefore essential to explore new applications in medicine, biotechnology, and materials science.

Scientists and engineers investigate the properties and synthesis of monomers to manufacture new, functional materials with desired properties. Researchers also study the thermodynamics of monomer reactions, crystallography, and spectroscopy to unravel the structural complexities of monomers and determine their involved polymer stability mechanisms.