polymer

A substance of high molecular weight, made up of a chain of repeated units sometimes called “mers.” SEE ALSO: biopolymer. [see -mer (1)]

- cross-linked p. a p. in which long-chain molecules are attached to each other, forming a two- or three-dimensional network. SYN: cross-linked resin.

* * *

poly·mer 'päl-ə-mər n a chemical compound or mixture of compounds formed by polymerization and consisting essentially of repeating structural units

* * *

n.

a substance formed by the linkage of a large number of smaller molecules known as monomers. An example of a monomer is glucose, whose molecules link together to form glycogen, a polymer. Polymers may have molecular weights from a few thousands to many millions. Polymers made up of a single type of monomer are known as homopolymers; those of two or more monomers as heteropolymers.

* * *

poly·mer (polґĭ-mər) [poly- + Gr. meros part] a compound formed by the joining of smaller molecules, referred to as monomers. The term is generally used to refer either to a macromolecule made up of a large number of monomers linked by covalent bonds, e.g., polypeptides, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and plastics, or to a protein made up of several subunits linked by covalent or noncovalent bonds, e.g., hemoglobin or IgM immunoglobulin.

The polymer cellulose consists of linked repeating units of the monomer β-D-glucose.