CHEM - Condensation Polymer

Condensation Polymer

• Usually, two different types of monomers join to form condensation polymers.
• During the reaction, a small molecule (for example, water) is released.
• One example of condensation polymer is polyester.

Polyester

👇 Remember that an ester is formed when a carboxylic acid and alcohol react together 👇

A polyester is formed from two different monomers:

• a dicarboxylic acid, which contains two carboxylic acid groups (—COOH) 
• a diol, which contains two alcohol groups (—OH) 

☝️ The reaction to form a polyester from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol☝️

Notice that: 

• Each monomer has functional groups on either end so that it can react and form ester links on both ends.
• Dicarboxylic acid loses OH group from each carboxyl group (—COOH).
• Diol loses H from each hydroxyl group (—OH).
• The remaining molecules join together to form polyester, and OH and H form water.
• The number of water molecules formed is twice the number of either monomer.

For example, a reaction between ethanedioic acid and ethanediol looks like this: 

Biopolyester

Although most polyesters are non-biodegradable, specific types of polyesters called biopolyesters, are biodegradable. Then can be naturally decomposed by microbes after their intended use.

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