Is there a viable limit to the length of a hydrocarbon chain?

As other answers have pointed out, there is theoretically no limit to the length of a hydrocarbon chain, and it can be as long as all the carbon atoms in the universe put together. However, in practice there are certainly limits to this, for two r... read more

There is no reason to believe that there is any upper limit to the length of a hydrocarbon chain. There are, however, limits to the techniques we use to measure chain length. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has over 200 000 carbon atoms in its molecules. In the form of fibres it can be used in bullet-proof body armour. read more

A hydrocarbon chain is a molecule that consists of entirely hydrogen and carbon. They are the simplest of the organic compounds and may be a liquid, gas or solid. There are many types of hydrocarbon chains, including alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, cycloalkanes and arenes. read more