Term: cationic polymer https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.CT07200 Definition: Polymer composed of positively charged macromolecules and an equivalent amount of counter-anions. Notes: 0) If a substantial fraction of constitutional units carries positive charges, then a cationic polymer is a @P04728@. 1) The positive charges may be fixed on groups located in main chains as in an @IT07210@ or in pendant groups. 2) The term cationic polymer should not be used to denote a polymer prepared by @C00910@. Related Terms: 1) polyelectrolyte (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04728). 2) ionene (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.IT07210). 3) cationic polymerization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00910). Source: PAC, 2006, 78, 2067. 'Terminology of polymers containing ionizable or ionic groups and of polymers containing ions (IUPAC Recommendations 2006)' on page 2069 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200678112067) Citation: 'cationic polymer' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.CT07200 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.