How are polymers classified on the basis of structure?

Polymers are classified on the basis of structure as follows:

1. Linear polymers:

These polymers are formed of long straight chains. They can be depicted as:

For e.g., high density polythene (HDP), polyvinyl chloride, etc.

2. Branched chain polymers:

These polymers are basically linear chain polymers with some branches. These polymers are represented as:

For e.g., low density polythene (LDP), amylopectin, etc.

3. Cross-linked or Network polymers:

These polymers have many cross-linking bonds that give rise to a network-like structure. These polymers contain bi-functional and tri-functional monomers and strong covalent bonds between various linear polymer chains. Examples of such polymers include bakelite and melmac.