Polymers/Properties

Type classification: this is a lesson resource.
Subject classification: this is a chemistry resource.

Tacticity (stereochemistry) can change the properties of the polymer.

Isotactic Syndiotactic Atactic


Molecular mass

Number average (Mn) and weight average (Mw).


Glass transition (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm)

  • Tm: crystalline regions, first order transition
  • Tg: amorphous regions, second order transition
  • hydrogen bonding increases Tg
  • longer side chains lowers Tg
  • at or below Tg, the ratio of free volume to total volume of polymer is constant