ABSTRACT
Polymers consist of molecules that have high molar masses and are composed of a large number of repeating units. Polymers occur in nature and can be found in living species such as proteins, collagen, and DNA. Synthetic polymers comprise of a large group of materials that have become an everyday commodity in life around us, ranging from the common carrier bag to heavy plastics. Due to the enormous range of synthetic polymers, they are often classi ed on the basis of their synthetic pedigree, such as condensation or addition polymers. Synthetic polymers have grown progressively to invade almost every commodity in our lives. A part of their growing popularity is due to the ability to produce them at high speed with controlled properties, at low cost, ease of fabrication, and with high resistance to aging. However, the abundance of synthetic polymers and their increasing use also generates a colossal amount of waste, making “recycling” an active part of our lives.
