Copolymer

Different types of polymers: 1) homopolymer 2) alternating copolymer 3) random copolymer 4) block copolymer 5) graft copolymer.

In polymer chemistry, a copolymer is a polymer derived from more than one species of monomer. The polymerization of monomers into copolymers is called copolymerization. Copolymers obtained from the copolymerization of two monomer species are sometimes called bipolymers. Those obtained from three and four monomers are called terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively.[1] Copolymers can be characterized by a variety of techniques such as NMR spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography to determine the molecular size, weight, properties, and composition of the material.[2]

Commercial copolymers include acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), styrene/butadiene co-polymer (SBR), nitrile rubber, styrene-acrylonitrile, styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) and ethylene-vinyl acetate, all of which are formed by chain-growth polymerization. Another production mechanism is step-growth polymerization, which is used to produce the nylon-12/6/66 copolymer[3] of nylon 12, nylon 6 and nylon 66, as well as the copolyester family. Copolymers can be used to develop commercial goods or drug delivery vehicles.

IUPAC definition

copolymer: A polymer derived from more than one species of monomer. (See Gold Book entry for note.) [4]

Since a copolymer consists of at least two types of constituent units (also structural units), copolymers can be classified based on how these units are arranged along the chain.[5] Linear copolymers consist of a single main chain and include alternating copolymers, statistical copolymers, and block copolymers. Branched copolymers consist of a single main chain with one or more polymeric side chains, and can be grafted, star shaped, or have other architectures.

  1. ^ McNaught, A. D.; Wilkinson, A. (1996). "Glossary of basic terms in polymer science (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. 68: 2287–2311. doi:10.1351/goldbook.C01335. ISBN 978-0-9678550-9-7.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Nylon-12/6/66 Copolymer". Cosmetics Info. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  4. ^ "copolymer". Gold Book. IUPAC. doi:10.1351/goldbook.C01335. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Jenkins was invoked but never defined (see the help page).