Macromolecule

Macromolecules ( giant molecules ) are very large molecules that are made ​​of repeating itself, the same or different structural units ( formal basic blocks) exist and have a high molecular mass. The basic building blocks are usually groups of atoms, but may also be atoms. The mass of the basic building blocks are very small compared to the molecular mass. In industrial chemistry, these basic building blocks are called constitutional repeating unit. Commonly spoken of macromolecules, where the molecular weight is higher than 10,000 g.mol -1. The term macromolecule was introduced in 1922 by Hermann Staudinger.

Macromolecular Materials

A plurality of rows of natural and synthetic chemical substances consist of macromolecules. These macromolecular substances are usually mixtures of macromolecules with similar chemical composition or structure and only similar large molecular masses. They are therefore polydisperse and have a molecular weight distribution. Practically the macromolecules of a macromolecular substance in their behavior are equal, since - owing to the size of the molecule - an addition or subtraction of moieties does not affect the properties of the macromolecule.

Some macromolecular substances consist of largely identical macromolecules and with uniform molecular weight. They are thus monodisperse. For some natural monodisperse macromolecular substances, such as certain proteins ( enzymes ), the biochemical characteristics of the macromolecule - in contrast to the general rule - highly dependent on the composition and the fine structure of the macromolecule.

Largely synonymous with " macromolecular substances " are often the words of polymers ( high polymers ) or biopolymers used. Even with the word plastics Macromolecular substances are meant in the end. These substances are working field of macromolecular chemistry.

Classification

According to Staudinger Macromolecular substances in natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic materials can be divided.

Representative of natural macromolecular substances are:

• Hydrocarbons, such as natural rubber
• Polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose
• Polynucleotides, such as nucleic acids
• Proteins such as silk, collagen, enzymes, antibodies
• Lignin

Representatives of semi-synthetic macromolecular substances are:

• Vulcanized rubber
• Viscose, cellulose nitrate
• Acetate

Representative synthetic macromolecular materials (plastics ) are:

• Polystyrene (PS ), polyethylene ( PE), polypropylene (PP ), polyamides (PA ), polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
• Synthetic rubber
• Silicones