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Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview

Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...

Polymers

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...

Organic Compounds

Organic Compounds

All living things are formed mostly of carbon compounds called organic compounds. The category of organic compounds includes both natural and synthetic compounds that contain carbon. Although a single, precise definition has yet to be identified by the chemistry community, most agree that a defining trait of organic molecules is the presence of carbon as the principal element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. However, some carbon-containing compounds such as carbonates, cyanides, and...

Polymer Classification: Architecture

Polymer Classification: Architecture

Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Poly(ethylene glycol) and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

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Published on: October 29, 2013

Hetero-Multifunctional Poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers with Multiple Hydroxyl Groups and a Single Terminal

Christine Mangold¹, Frederik Wurm, Boris Obermeier

¹Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.

Macromolecular Rapid Communications

|May 19, 2011

Summary

Researchers synthesized novel hetero-multifunctional poly(ethylene glycol-co-glycerol) random copolymers. These polymers offer tunable hydroxyl functionalities and a single terminal group, useful for advanced material applications.

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Published on: April 16, 2018

Area of Science:

Polymer Chemistry
Materials Science

Background:

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and its derivatives are widely used in biomedical applications.
Developing functionalized polymers with controlled architectures is crucial for advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize hetero-multifunctional poly(ethylene glycol-co-glycerol) random copolymers.
To introduce multiple hydroxyl functionalities and a single terminal group into the polymer structure.
To control molecular weight and polydispersity.

Main Methods:

Copolymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) and ethoxy ethyl glycidyl ether (EEGE) using a protected initiator.
Acidic deprotection to reveal chain-bound hydroxyl groups.
Catalytic hydrogenation to regenerate the terminal amino group.
Characterization using NMR, SEC, and DSC.

Main Results:

Successfully synthesized random copolymers with varying comonomer fractions (3-67%).
Achieved narrow polydispersity (1.05 < Mw/Mn < 1.25) with molecular weights ranging from 5,000 to 32,000 g/mol.
Confirmed the presence of multiple hydroxyl functionalities and a single terminal group.

Conclusions:

The study presents a versatile method for preparing hetero-multifunctional PEG-based copolymers.
The synthesized copolymers offer tunable properties for diverse applications.
The controlled synthesis and characterization pave the way for advanced polymer design.