Polymers :: essays research papers

Polymers argon large moleculescomposed of smaller molecules called monomers.Monomers ar produced and either grow togetheror be assembled to produce a single polymer.There are synthetic and born(p) polymers. Someexamples of natural polymers would be wood,starches, fingernails, and hair. Synthetic polymersare usually referred to as plastics. Petroleum, is theprimary monomer apply to produce polymers. AnEnglish chemist named Alexander Parkes was the rootage scientist to produce the first synthetic polymerin 1862. John Wesley Hyatt, an American, wasthe first person to produce a make use ofable polymer twoyears later. He named the product celluloid. Theprime right of polymers is a highstrength-to-weight ratio. Industrial-strengthpolymers surpass titanium in pliable strength. Toadd strength and improve flexibility, polymers aresome time fortified with short-fiber additives, loosely fiberglass. This is known as a polymercomposite. One particular polymer has three timesthe strength o f tempered steel and is being used in heater proof vests. Another composite will be usedto doctor together the sections proposed spacestations. Polymers have also been used in cars,including the Chevrolet Camaro and the PontiacFiero. natural polymers are being created with morestrength and flexibility by comb two chemicallydifferent polymers and producing a blockcopolymer. Combinations of block copolymersand composites and think for use in boosterrockets and in materials of Earth-orbitinginstallations. Most common polymers are usuallysolid, but a new class of polymers is beingintroduced in a liquid crystal state. Although thesepolymers still have the physical characteristics ofliquid, they are structured more like solids. Manyliquid crystals are vapourish at one temperatureand colored at another temperature. This makesthem suitable for use in liquid crystal displays, suchas in digital watches, hand-held calculators, andlap-top computers. A new liquid polymer,consisting of a mixt ure of squeeze and nickel, is beingused to make metal links that can be used inpaper, glass, and on electronic circuit boards.Despite the outgrowth and widespread use of