Petrochemicals are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as maize, palm fruit or sugar cane.
In materials science, a thermosetting polymer, often called a thermoset, is a polymer that is obtained by irreversibly hardening ("curing") a soft solid or viscous liquid prepolymer (resin). Curing is induced by heat or suitable radiation and may be promoted by high pressure or mixing with a catalyst. Heat is not necessarily applied externally, and is often generated by the reaction of the resin with a curing agent. Curing results in chemical reactions that create extensive cross-linking between polymer chains to produce an infusible and insoluble polymer network.
Acrylates are the salts, esters, and conjugate bases of acrylic acid. The acrylate ion is the anion CH2=CHCO−2. Often, acrylate refers to esters of acrylic acid, the most common member being methyl acrylate. These acrylates contain vinyl groups. These compounds are of interest because they are bifunctional: the vinyl group is susceptible to polymerization and the carboxylate group carries myriad functionalities.
Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) is a trifunctional acrylate ester monomer derived from trimethylolpropane, used in the manufacture of plastics, adhesives, acrylic glue, anaerobic sealants, and ink. It is useful for its low volatility and fast cure response. It has the properties of weather, chemical and water resistance, as well as good abrasion resistance. End products include alkyd coatings, compact discs, hardwood floors, concrete and cementitious applications, Dental composites, photolithography, letterpress, screen printing, elastomers, automobile headlamps, acrylics and plastic components for the medical industry.
A photopolymer or light-activated resin is a polymer that changes its properties when exposed to light, often in the ultraviolet or visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. These changes are often manifested structurally, for example hardening of the material occurs as a result of cross-linking when exposed to light. An example is shown below depicting a mixture of monomers, oligomers, and photoinitiators that conform into a hardened polymeric material through a process called curing.
A glucan is a polysaccharide derived from D-glucose, linked by glycosidic bonds. Glucans are noted in two forms: alpha glucans and beta glucans. Many beta-glucans are medically important. They represent a drug target for antifungal medications of the echinocandin class.
Synthetic resins are industrially produced resins, typically viscous substances that convert into rigid polymers by the process of curing. In order to undergo curing, resins typically contain reactive end groups, such as acrylates or epoxides. Some synthetic resins have properties similar to natural plant resins, but many do not.
Curing is a chemical process employed in polymer chemistry and process engineering that produces the toughening or hardening of a polymer material by cross-linking of polymer chains. Even if it is strongly associated with the production of thermosetting polymers, the term "curing" can be used for all the processes where a solid product is obtained from a liquid solution, such as with PVC plastisols.
A thermoset polymer matrix is a synthetic polymer reinforcement where polymers act as binder or matrix to secure in place incorporated particulates, fibres or other reinforcements. They were first developed for structural applications, such as glass-reinforced plastic radar domes on aircraft and graphite-epoxy payload bay doors on the Space Shuttle.
In polymer chemistry, the term prepolymer or pre-polymer, refers to a monomer or system of monomers that have been reacted to an intermediate-molecular mass state. This material is capable of further polymerization by reactive groups to a fully cured, high-molecular-mass state. As such, mixtures of reactive polymers with un-reacted monomers may also be referred to as pre-polymers. The term "pre-polymer" and "polymer precursor" may be interchanged.
Allyl glycidyl ether is an organic compound used in adhesives and sealants and as a monomer for polymerization reactions. It is formally the condensation product of allyl alcohol and glycidol via an ether linkage. Because it contains both an alkene and an epoxide group, either group can be reacted selectively to yield a product where the other functional group remains intact for future reactions.
Vinyltriethoxysilane is an organosilicon compound with the formula (C2H5O)3SiCH=CH2. It is a colorless liquid. The compound is bifunctional, featuring both a vinyl group and hydrolytically sensitive ethoxysilyl groups. As such it is a crosslinking agent.
Reactive diluents are substances which reduce the viscosity of a lacquer or resin for processing and become part of the lacquer or coating during its subsequent curing via copolymerization. A non-reactive diluent would be a solvent or plasticizer.
1,6-Hexanediol diacrylate is a difunctional acrylate ester monomer used in the manufacture of polymers. It is particularly useful for use in ultraviolet light cure applications. Furthermore, it is also used in adhesives, sealants, alkyd coatings, elastomers, photopolymers, and inks for improved adhesion, hardness, abrasion and heat resistance. Like other acrylate monomers it is usually supplied with a radical inhibitor such as hydroquinone added.
Waterborne resins are sometimes called water-based resins. They are resins or polymeric resins that use water as the carrying medium as opposed to solvent or solvent-less. Resins are used in the production of coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and composite materials. When the phrase waterborne resin is used, it usually describes all resins which have water as the main carrying solvent. The resin could be water-soluble, water reducible or water dispersed.
Hydrogel fiber is a hydrogel made into a fibrous state, where its width is significantly smaller than its length. The hydrogel's specific surface area at fibrous form is larger than that of the bulk hydrogel, and its mechanical properties also changed accordingly. As a result of these changes, hydrogel fiber has a faster matter exchange rate and can be woven into different structures.
Neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether (NPGDGE) is an organic chemical in the glycidyl ether family. It is aliphatic and a colorless liquid. It has the formula C11H20O4 and the CAS registry number of 17557-23-2. It has two oxirane groups per molecule. Its principle use is in modifying epoxy resins.
1,6-Hexanediol diglycidyl ether is an organic chemical in the glycidyl ether family. It is an aliphatic compound that is a colorless liquid. It has two epoxide (oxirane) groups per molecule. Its main use is in modifying epoxy resins especially viscosity reduction whilst flexibilizing. It is REACH registered.
Trimethylolethane triglycidyl ether (TMETGE) is an organic chemical in the glycidyl ether family. It has the formula C14H24O6 and the IUPAC name is 2-({2-methyl-3-[(oxiran-2-yl)methoxy]-2-{[(oxiran-2-yl)methoxy]methyl}propoxy}methyl)oxirane. The CAS number is 68460-21-9. A key use is as a modifier for epoxy resins as a reactive diluent.
Poly(propylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PPGDGE) is an organic chemical in the glycidyl ether family. There are a number of variations depending on the starting molecular weight of the polypropylene glycol. They have the formula (C3H6O)n.C6H10O3 and the IUPAC name is Poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)],a-(2-oxiranylmethyl)-w-(2-oxiranylmethoxy)- A key use is as a modifier for epoxy resins as a reactive diluent and flexibilizer. It is REACH registered.
