What are the differences between polyamides and proteins ?
I. Polyamides are unable to undergo hydrogen bonding between individual polymer chains.
II. Polyamides usually do not have hydroxyl- or thiol-groups as side chains.
III. Proteins and polyamides can be partially crystalline.
IV. Polyamides have a more stable bond between their monomers than proteins have between the individual amino acids.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

II and III are correct. Polyamides typically lack hydroxyl- or thiol-groups in their side chains, unlike proteins which can have a variety of side chains including these groups. Both proteins and polyamides can exhibit partial crystallinity, depending on their structure and the arrangement of their chains. Statement I is incorrect because polyamides can indeed form hydrogen bonds between chains, similar to proteins. Statement IV is incorrect because the peptide bond in proteins, which links amino acids, is quite stable, making the comparison in stability not a distinguishing factor between polyamides and proteins.

What Are the Differences Between Polyamides and Proteins