Polymer Chemistry

Polymers Are Molecules Too!

Are all polymers linear chains?

No, and this is another way that chemists classify these really big molecules. The major types of polymer shapes (technical term: topology) are linear, branched, and crosslinked networks. Linear polymers are chains of monomers joined together, like a noodle or a rope. If there is a point along a polymer chain where a second chain starts, like a fork in the road, this arrangement is referred to as branched.