The atoms in blue highlight the backbone of the polymer. All rights reserved. Polymers are useful because they are lightweight, are corrosion resistant, are easy to process at low temperatures, and are generally inexpensive. The mechanical properties of polymers generally include low strength and high toughness. Their strength is often improved using reinforced composite structures.
Polymers are a very important industry.
Four specific polymers dominate the market because of their low cost and ability to be produced in high volume. Polymers are processed in several different ways. The Department of Materials Science and Engineering at has an active polymer research program led by Professors Ober , Kramer , Giannelis , and Grubb . All rights reserved.