Chemists image basic blocks of synthetic polymers

Synthetic polymers are everywhere in our society—from nylon and polyester clothing to Teflon cookware and epoxy glue. At the molecular level, these polymers' molecules are made of long chains of monomer building blocks, ...

Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics

Little of the mixed consumer plastics thrown away or placed in recycle bins actually ends up being recycled. Nearly 90% is buried in landfills or incinerated at commercial facilities that generate greenhouse gases and airborne ...

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Monomer

A monomer (from Greek mono "one" and meros "part") is an atom or a small molecule that may bind chemically to other monomers to form a polymer; the term "monomeric protein" may also be used to describe one of the proteins making up a multiprotein complex. The most common natural monomer is glucose, which is linked by glycosidic bonds into polymers such as cellulose and starch, and is over 76% of the mass of all plant matter. Most often the term monomer refers to the organic molecules which form synthetic polymers, such as, for example, vinyl chloride, which is used to produce the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

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