Polymers have many useful applications and new uses are being developed, for example:
The polymer are designed for their specific job. It is the structure of the chains, made up of 1000's of atoms, and any additives that determines the polymers properties and therefore its uses. The side branches greatly affect how the chains interact with each other and so influence the polymers strength and apperance.
A Polymer's properties are affected by:
There are two main types of plastics:
When thermoplastics are heated they . If the polymer chains are given enough heat energy they will vibrate themselves into line and so they shrink back to their form. Thermoset plastics are different. When they are originally heated, they form between chains through side branches. If they are subsequently heated they do not soften like thermoplastics, they form extra cross-links, degrade or burn.
Thermoset plastics are different. When they are originally heated, they form between chains through side branches. If they are subsequently heated they do not soften like thermoplastics, they form extra cross-links, degrade or burn.
