Synthetic Polymers: Discover their impact on everyday life

Welcome to the Synthetic polymers simulation! In this simulation, you'll learn how synthetic polymers form, their structures, and how those structures direct the properties of the materials they compose.

Check out the following theory pages to guide you along the way:

• List of polymer abbreviations
• What are synthetic polymers?
• From many monomers to one polymer
  • Addition polymerization
  • Condensation polymerization
• From structure to property
  • Chemical structure of polymers
  • Physical structure of polymers
• Applications of synthetic polymers
  • Teflon: strong bonds increase chemical stability
  • Nylon: thermoplastics can be spun into long fibers
  • Polyethylene: branching affects the density
  • Kevlar®: cross-linking makes polymers strong
• Examples of natural polymers
• Synthetic polymers and our environment