Untitled Quiz

Study Notes

Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating smaller units called monomers ("poly" meaning many, "mer" meaning parts).
Polymers are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic.
Natural polymers: examples include proteins (like collagen), carbohydrates (like glycosaminoglycans or GAGs), and nucleic acids (like DNA).
Synthetic polymers: examples include thermoplastics (like polyethylene terephthalate or PET) and thermosets (like polydimethylsiloxane or PDMS).
Semi-synthetic polymers: examples include GelMA (gelatin methacryloyl), MeTro (methacrylated tropocollagen), and modified alginates, derived from natural polymers.

Polymers are widely used in medical devices.
Examples of applications include joint separators, sutures, catheters, and gloves.

Polymers can have amorphous (disordered) or crystalline (ordered) 3D structures.
The molecular structure influences the polymer's flexibility or rigidity. More rigid structures lead to less flexible polymers.
Crosslink sites in polymers impact their properties, particularly in thermosets and elastomers.

Thermoplastics: have entangled polymers held together by weak forces; their shape can be changed with heat or stress.
Thermosets: have crosslinked networks held together by strong covalent bonds; their shape is fixed.
Elastomers: are crosslinked amorphous polymers with long chains; they are elastic and recover their original shape after deformation.

Plastic ≠ Polymer: Plastics are deformable materials; polymers are a broader category that includes plastics.
Elastic ≠ Deformable: While all elastic materials are deformable, not all deformable materials are elastic.

Copolymers: Polymers composed of two or more different types of monomers.
Molecular Weight and Chain Entanglement: These factors influence polymer properties; higher molecular weight and greater entanglement typically lead to stronger, more viscous materials. Calculations for average molecular weight are provided in an accompanying exercise.