Question

If you can distinguish between addition and condensation polymers, then you can figure out what the monomers are. Describe how you would do this for the three kinds of polymers.

Answer 1

There are three kinds of polymerization techniques. (1) Addition polymerization (2) Condensation Polymerisation (3) Ring-opening polymerization

(1) Addition polymerization :

Basically, it has been observed for the double bond-containing monomer. The reaction initiates with the formation of free radical and then it propagates to form a long polymer chain. and finally terminates to form a polymer.

IN this case, if you check the repeating unit of the polymer then only you could easily understand the monomer unit.

(2) Condensation Polymerisation :

This type of polymer has been formed by the condensation of two different monomer units, each containing two functional groups, react by eliminating a small molecule like water. Examples are polyamides, made by reacting a diacid with a diamine, and polyesters, made by reacting a diacid with a diol (a diol is a molecule containing two terminal OH groups).

SO after checking the polymer we could easily identify the monomer unit.

(3) Ring-opening polymerization :

If the monomer is a cyclic molecule and then that opens up and forms a linear chain polymer, e.g., the isomerization of S₈ (crystalline yellow sulfur, a monomer) to linear polymeric sulfur chains.

This type is possible to some specific cases. So, it could be easily identificable.