10.3: Polymerization Reactions
- Page ID
- 321639
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Polymerization can occur if a monomer reacts over and over again with other monomers to form very long chains. Polymers have important properties in materials science. Teflon, for example, is a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene and is used to coat frying pans and make them non-stick. Polymerization can occur using acid as a catalyst, or it can occur with a peroxide as a catalyst:
Acid-catalyzed:
Peroxide-catalyzed:
