The effect of molecular structure on the properties of biomedical polymers - Durability and Reliability of Medical Polymers - page 33

2.3 Macromolecular conformation, crystallisation
and polymer properties
The conformation of a polymer is defined as a statistical chain owing to the
possibility of rotation around the simple carbon-carbon bond (-C-C-). The
enormous number of possible conformations is reduced by steric impediments.
However, the structure of a polymer is similar to a filament hank known
as random coil (Figs 2.15 and 2.16) (Gedde, 1995). in the melted and
solid amorphous (or glass-like) state, the macromolecular conformation of
2.15 Random coil conformation for linear amorphous polymers
(single molecule).
￿ ￿ ￿ ￿ ￿ ￿
2.16 Random coil conformation for linear amorphous polymers
(double molecules).