Condensation polymerisation
What Condensation polymerisation means in Chemistry A-Level, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of Condensation polymerisation
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Reference: OCR
Two functional groups react, for example a carboxylic acid with an alcohol or with an amine, and a small molecule such as water is eliminated each time a link forms.
A reaction in which each new link is made by a reaction that also throws out a small molecule, usually water, or hydrogen chloride if a diacyl dichloride is used.
Two different monomers, each with two functional groups, join repeatedly and a small molecule such as water or hydrogen chloride is eliminated at every linkage.
Polyesters are condensation polymers formed when a dicarboxylic acid reacts with a diol, releasing a small molecule such as water at each linkage.
Topics that use Condensation polymerisation
- Condensation polymers (A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
- Polyesters and polyamides (OCR A-Level)
Related terms
- difunctional monomers
- ester and amide links
- hydrogen bonding between chains
- Acid hydrolysis of esters
- Addition polymerisation
- Amide group formation
- Amide linkage
- amino acid self-condensation
Using Condensation polymerisation in the exam
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