Are all polymers considered solids?

[seriously disabled]

Are all polymers considered solids? What about biopolymers and liquid crystal polymers? Are those solids too?

[jian]

polymers are generally called soft materials. Liquid crystal ans biopolymers also are classified soft materials/matter. Their feature is that interaction forces between molecules are quite weak(around kT). They have strong response to the small stimulus. However, there properties are strongly dependent on temperature. Normally, there is a critical temperature at which they undergo soft hard transition. For polymer, that is the glass transition temperature.

Magazine " Soft Matter" is the scientific publication concentrated on soft materials. You may check it out.

[CaptainPanic]

With a question like that, you have to specify at what conditions: temperature, pressure, and presence of any other materials (solvents), and in case of biopolymers also the pH. Without those specifications, there is more than 1 answer.

 

Assuming you mean room temperature, 1 bar, pure polymers:

 

If you have to choose from Gas, Liquid, Solid... then most polymers are solid.

The biopolymers and liquid crystal polymers too.

 

However, the biopolymers and liquid crystal polymers occur almost exclusively in combination with a liquid (solvent or water (water is also a solvent)). Then these are dissolved (neither liquid or solid).

Liquid crystal polymers can form very small regions where the polymers are ordered into a crystal, while still being in solution.

[amit]

few years back i heard of few substances that are short chain polymers sort of substances but they are badly entangeled. so if you apply any sudden mechanical shock to them they behave as solids but if you try lifting them in hand they will flow away like liquids. sorry for such immature description but thats only what i remember.