Polyamides
Polyamides
Formula
n HOOC−(CH₂)₄−COOH + n H₂N−(CH₂)₆−NH₂ → (−CO−(CH₂)₄−CO−NH−(CH₂)₆−NH−)ₙ + n H₂O
Real World
Nylon-6,6, invented by Wallace Carothers at DuPont in 1935, replaced silk in parachutes during World War II and is still used in modern climbing ropes.
Exam Focus
Name nylon by carbon counts in each monomer — nylon-6,6 means 6 carbons from the diacid and 6 from the diamine.
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