Condensation Polymers

• Condensation polymerisation


  • a process in which monomers join together to form a polymer with the removal of small molecules
  • small molecules that are removed during condensation polymerisation include water
  • condensation polymers include polyamides (e.g. nylon) and polyesters
• Amide Linkage(Polyamides)


  • A dicarboxylic acid has two -COOH groups, while a diamine has two -NH2 groups
  • Each -COOH groups in a dicarboxylic acid loses an -OH group and each -NH2 groups in a diamine loses a H atom before they combine to form an amide linkage (-CONH-)
  • water is formed from the -OH group and H atom lost from the monomers
• Ester Linkage (Polyesters)


  • a dicarboxylix acid has two -COOH groups, while a diol has two -OH groups
  • Each -COOH group in a dicarboxylic acid loses an -OH group and each -OH groups in a diol loses a H atom before they combine to form an ester linkage (-COO-)
  • Water is formed from the -OH groups and H atom lost from the monomers