2. Polymers in Solution

Polymers, especially when compared with the monomers from which they are built, have a number of special properties. For example, polymers such as starch and polypropylene oxide are much less soluble in water than their monomers, glucose and propylene oxide. Another observation is that many polymers absorb solvents or water without themselves dissolving. Thus, cotton socks, for instance, absorb water without disintegrating when they are washed in a washing machine. To explain and to be able to describe such properties, this chapter is devoted to a description of the polymeric chain structure and the consequences thereof for polymers in solution. Furthermore, the thermodynamics of polymer solutions are discussed and compared with those of small molecules to develop an understanding of the differences in solubility mentioned above.