What are oligomers and their uses?

Abstract. Oligomers are low molecular weight polymers comprising a small number of repeat units whose physical properties are significantly dependent on the length of the chain. Oligomers are essentially intermediates of the polymerization reaction that find wide, direct applications in material science.

What does monomer mean?

Monomer, a molecule of any of a class of compounds, mostly organic, that can react with other molecules to form very large molecules, or polymers. The essential feature of a monomer is polyfunctionality, the capacity to form chemical bonds to at least two other monomer molecules.

What is the difference between dimer and oligomer?

is that oligomer is (chemistry) a compound intermediate between a monomer and a polymer, normally having a specified number of units between about five and a hundred while dimer is (chemistry) a molecule consisting of two identical halves, formed by joining two identical molecules, sometimes with a single atom acting …

What are monomers and oligomers?

A monomer can be defined as a molecule that can combine with other molecules to form an oligomer or polymer. An oligomer can be described as a molecular complex comprised of a few monomer units.

Which is the best definition of an oligomer?

: a polymer or polymer intermediate containing relatively few structural units.

Why are oligomers important in the polymerization reaction?

Oligomers are low molecular weight polymers comprising a small number of repeat units whose physical properties are significantly dependent on the length of the chain. Oligomers are essentially intermediates of the polymerization reaction that find wide, direct applications in material science.

How are synthetic oligomers different from oligomeric complexes?

Among synthetic oligomers, plasticizers and polybutene are oligomeric complexes. A polymer is a macromolecule made out of a large number of small units called monomers. These monomers are linked to each other via covalent bonds through a process called polymerization. These polymers have very high masses and densities.

What does oligomerization mean in terms of Science?

Oligomerization: The process of converting a monomer or a mixture of monomers into an oligomer.