A polymer whose backbone includes elements other than a carbon-only chain. Backbone composition alone does not determine electrical conductivity or hydrolytic stability.

A connected polymer structure in which cross-links couple chains. Network connectivity, density and defects determine macroscopic elasticity and flow.

A polymeric material that can soften and flow reversibly on heating over its processing range without requiring cleavage of a permanent covalent network.

Cleavage of a polymer backbone into shorter molecular fragments. It lowers chain length before it necessarily removes all material from a specimen.

The connected main-chain skeleton of a polymer, distinguished from attached side groups. Degradation of the backbone can change molar mass and network integrity.

A polymer composed of connected blocks with different repeat-unit chemistry. Incompatible blocks can form spatially distinct domains while remaining covalently connected.

Polyvinyl chloride is the addition polymer of vinyl chloride, with repeat unit $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{CHCl}-$. Its covalently attached chlorine influences intermolecular interactions and processing behavior.

Rigid and flexible commercial forms can differ strongly because of additives and formulation. A material label therefore does not imply that every specimen has the properties of the additive-free polymer.

Polyvinyl acetate is an addition polymer with repeat unit $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{CH}(\mathrm{OCOC}{\mathrm{H}}_3)-$, derived from vinyl acetate. Its acetate groups are side substituents on a carbon backbone.

Changing those side groups by hydrolysis gives polyvinyl alcohol. This illustrates a polymer transformation that changes chemical functionality while retaining the main-chain framework.

Polyvinyl alcohol has a carbon-chain backbone carrying hydroxyl groups, with idealized repeat unit $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{CH}(\mathrm{OH})-$. It is commonly obtained by converting acetate groups in polyvinyl acetate, rather than by simply polymerizing isolated vinyl alcohol.

Hydroxyl groups support hydrogen bonding and influence water interaction. Degree of hydrolysis, molecular mass, and crystallinity therefore affect the behavior of a material bearing this name.

A polymer containing monomeric units derived from more than one monomer species.

A polymer with an extended sequence of conjugated bonds along its backbone.

Consistent orientation of constitutionally unsymmetrical repeat units along a polymer chain.

A polymer containing repeated amide linkages in its main chain.

The distribution of molar masses among the chains in a polymer sample. Number-weighted and mass-weighted descriptions assign different relative weights to long chains: for populations $N_i$ of chains with molar mass $M_i$, the number-average molar mass is $M_n={\sum }_i{N}_i{M}_i/{\sum }_i{N}_i$, while the weight-average molar mass is $M_w={\sum }_i{N}_i{M}_i^2/{\sum }_i{N}_i{M}_i$. A single average does not determine the full distribution.

A long chain or network maintained by reversible noncovalent association of molecular units.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) is a thermoplastic polymer with repeating units $-\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2-\mathrm{C}(\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_3)(\mathrm{COOC}{\mathrm{H}}_3)-$. The carbon backbone bears methyl and ester side groups, which distinguish it from a simple hydrocarbon polymer.

In electron beam lithography, suitably prepared material can act as a positive-tone resist: exposure changes the polymer so that the exposed region dissolves more readily during development. This application depends on molecular degradation and processing conditions as well as on the repeat-unit identity.^[ref]

A fluorinated polymer whose polar crystalline phases can exhibit piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity.

A polymer or oligomer with repeated ether linkages in its main chain.

A polymer containing pyrrolidone groups, widely used as a soluble stabilizer or capping agent. In silver nanostructure synthesis its adsorption can affect facet growth and aggregation. Residual polymer can also create electrically resistive nanowire junctions.

A polymeric material capable of appreciable electronic conduction, commonly through a conjugated backbone with an appropriate charge state. Conductivity, optical absorption, environmental stability and processing history must be specified; the material category does not guarantee a transparent-electrode specification.