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Polymers:
1 INTRODUCTION
Naturally occurring polymers—those derived from plants and animals—have been used for many centuries; these materials include wood, rubber, cotton, wool, leather, and silk. Other natural polymers such as proteins, enzymes, starches, and cellulose are important in biological and physiological processes in plants and animals.
Modern scientific research tools have made possible the determination of the molecular structures of this group of materials, and the development of numerous polymers, which are synthesized from small organic molecules. Many of our useful plastics, rubbers, and fiber materials are synthetic polymers. In fact, since the conclusion of World War II, the field of materials has been virtually revolutionized by the advent of synthetic polymers. The synthetics can be produced inexpensively, and their properties may be managed to the degree that many are superior to their natural counterparts. In some applications metal and wood parts have been replaced by plastics, which have satisfactory properties and may be produced at a lower cost.
As with metals and ceramics, the properties of polymers are intricately related to the structural elements of the material. This chapter explores molecular and crystal structures of polymers.
2 HYDROCARBON MOLECULES
Since most polymers are organic in origin, we briefly review some of the basic concepts relating to the structure of their molecules. First, many organic materials are hydrocarbons; that is, they are composed of hydrogen and carbon. Furthermore, the intramolecular bonds are covalent. Each carbon atom has four electrons that may participate in covalent bonding, whereas every hydrogen atom has only one bonding electron. A single covalent bond exists when each of the two bonding