Which among the following is a biodegradable polymer? (a) Nylon-2-nylon-6 (b) Polyvinyl chloride (c) Bakelite (d) Polythene

Classification of Polymer

Natural polymers:

• Polymers are obtained mostly from animals and plants (nature).
• Examples: starch, Cellulose, etc.

Synthetic polymers:

• Polymers prepared man-made or artificial in the laboratory.
• Examples – Nylon 6,6, Synthetic rubber (Buna – S), Teflon, etc.

Semi-synthetic polymers:

• By chemical modification, some polymers occur naturally.
• Examples – Rayon (cellulose acetate), cellulose nitrate, etc.

Polymerization:

From the monomers, the process of formation of polymers is known as polymerization.

Bio-degradable and non-biodegradable polymers:

• Biodegradable polymers are those that can degrade quickly by enzyme catalysis processes.
• Microorganisms are the ones who make the enzymes.
• Chain growth polymers have non-biodegradable carbon-carbon bonds that are inert to enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
• When we add a hydrolyzable ester group to a carbon chain, microbes can break them down by enzymatic action.
• Polylactide and polyglycolide are two examples of biodegradable polymers containing esteric linkages.

Nylon-2-nylon-6:

• It is a biodegradable polymer.
• It is created through the copolymerization of aminocaproic acid with glycine.
• Non-biodegradable polymers include polyvinyl chloride, bakelite, and polythene.

Therefore, Nylon-2-nylon-6 is a biodegradable polymer

Summary:

Which among the following is a biodegradable polymer? (a) Nylon-2-nylon-6 (b) Polyvinyl chloride (c) Bakelite (d) Polythene

Nylon-2-nylon-6 is one of the following materials that degrade naturally. It is used to create strings for musical instruments and toothbrush bristles, among other things.