Below is a diagram of polyethylene, the simplest polymer structure. There are polymers that contain only carbon and hydrogen. Polypropylene, polybutylene, polystyrene, and polymethylpentene are examples of these. Even though the basic makeup of many polymers is carbon and hydrogen, other elements can also be involved. Oxygen, chlorine, fluorine, nitrogen, silicon, phosphorous, and sulfur are other elements that are found in the molecular makeup of polymers.
Nylon contains nitrogen and oxygen.
Teflon contains fluorine. Polyester and polycarbonates contain oxygen. Vulcanized rubber and thiokol contain sulfur. There are also some polymers that, instead of having a carbon backbone, have a silicon or silicon-oxygen backbone. These are considered inorganic polymers.