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Naturally Occurring Polymers

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Principles of Polymer Chemistry

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Abstract

There are many naturally occurring polymeric materials. Many are quite complex. It is possible, however, to apply an arbitrary classification and to divide them into six main categories. These are:

  1. 1

    Polysaccharides. This category includes starch, cellulose, chitin, pectin, alginic acid, natural gums, and others.

  2. 2

    Proteins or naturally occurring polyamides found in animal and vegetable sources.

  3. 3

    Polyisoprenes or natural rubbers and similar materials that are isolated from saps of plants.

  4. 4

    Polynucleotides include all the DNAs and all the RNAs found in all living organisms.

  5. 5

    Lignin or polymeric materials of coniferyl alcohol and related substances.

  6. 6

    Naturally occurring miscellaneous polymers, such as shellac, a resin secreted by the lac insect. This is a complex crosslinked polyester of 9,10,16-trihydroxy-exadecanoic acid (aleuritic acid). The structure also includes some unsaturated long-chain aliphatic acids together with other compounds.1

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymer Chemistry, Lincolnwood, Illinois, USA

    A. Ravve (Consultant)

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  1. A. Ravve
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Ravve, A. (1995). Naturally Occurring Polymers. In: Principles of Polymer Chemistry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1283-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1283-1_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1285-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1283-1

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