A polymer is a giant molecule made from a large number of similar small molecules, called monomers, which are joined together chemically. The chemical process of making a polymer is called polymerization. When a polymer is made from two or more monomers, it is called a copolymer. Many polymers are named for the monomer from which they are made. For example, the polymer polyethylene is named for its monomer ethylene.
Chemists suspend the giant floor finish polymer in water, and they become polymer emulsions.
Most floor finish manufacturers treat the monomers and processes used to make their polymer emulsions as a trade secret. However it is generally known that most floor finish polymer emulsions are made from acrylic or styrene type monomers. The polymer emulsions are the workhorse of a floor finish. They are the backbone upon which all of the other ingredients are connected. There are virtually thousands of potential combinations of polymers which can be used to make floor finishes.