Question

What is thermosetting?

What do you understand by thermosetting polymers?

Answer 1

1. The polymers that, on heating, change irreversibly into hard, rigid, and infusible materials are called thermosetting polymers. Semi-fluid polymers with a relatively low molecular mass are typically heated in a mold to create thermosetting polymers.
2. They become infusible and solidify into an intractable substance when heated. When heated, the hardening results in the creation of substantial cross-linking between different polymeric chains.
3. As a result, a three-dimensional network of linkages joining the polymer chains is created. The thermosetting polymers cannot be reprocessed because their three-dimensional network structure is inflexible and does not soften when heated.
4. Melamine-formaldehyde resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, phenol-formaldehyde (bakelite) resins, and others are significant instances of thermosetting polymers.