Polymer Chemistry

We often buy household things from the market in plastic covers. They are polymer bags, or to be more precise, they are polythene bags. Polymer chemistry deals with the synthesis and manufacture of chemical polymers. We ourselves are the products of chemistry since our body is made of minerals and chemicals. The water we drink, the food we eat, the medicines we take are all a part of chemistry. A polymer is a group of macromolecules which in turn are a group of monomers. The very first synthetic plastic manufactured was Bakelite which is a thermosetting polymer. Isoprene, commonly known as natural rubber, gave rise to the polymer Neoprene which is again a form of rubber. Chemistry is a vast field of study which we touch, feel, smell and even eat in our everyday life. Interesting isn’t it? How is the soap we use for cleaning made? How is vinegar used as a preservative? The answer to all these questions lies in the world of chemistry.