What is addition polymerisation?

Addition polymerisation is a chemical reaction where monomers combine to form a polymer without the loss of any other product.

In more detail, addition polymerisation is a type of chain-growth polymerisation where the monomers that contain a double or triple bond can add together to form a polymer. The process involves the breaking of double or triple bonds in the monomers, allowing them to join together in a repeating pattern to form a long chain. This chain is the polymer.

The key feature of addition polymerisation is that there are no by-products produced in the reaction. This is in contrast to condensation polymerisation, where a small molecule, often water, is produced alongside the polymer.

An example of addition polymerisation is the formation of polyethylene from ethylene monomers. In this reaction, the double bond in the ethylene monomer breaks, allowing the monomers to link together in a chain to form the polymer. The reaction is usually initiated by a catalyst or by heat, which provides the energy needed to break the double bonds in the monomers.

Addition polymerisation is used in the manufacture of many common plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene. These materials have a wide range of uses, from packaging materials to components in cars and household appliances. Understanding the process of addition polymerisation is therefore important in the field of materials science and in many areas of manufacturing and industry.