Tyvek's polymer classification

Steps:

• Identify Tyvek as a DuPont nonwoven fabric used for protective materials.
• Recall its composition: made from spunbonded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers.
• Recognize HDPE as a thermoplastic polymer derived from ethylene (an alkene) monomers via addition polymerization.
• Classify it based on structure: repeating carbon-carbon chains without functional groups like esters or amides.

Why A is correct:

• Polyalkene describes addition polymers of alkenes, like polyethylene in Tyvek, with the formula -(CH₂-CH₂)_n-.

Why the others are wrong:

• B. Polyamide: Features amide (-CONH-) linkages from condensation polymerization, as in nylon; Tyvek lacks these.
• C. Polyester: Contains ester (-COO-) groups from diols and dicarboxylic acids, as in PET; Tyvek has no esters.
• D. Protein: Natural polypeptides from amino acids with peptide bonds; Tyvek is synthetic, not biological.

Final answer: A