Amorphous glasses synthetic applications

Synthetic and natural rubbers are amorphous polymers, typically with glass transition temperatures well below room temperature. Physical or chemical crosslinks limit chain translation and thus prevent viscous flow. The resulting products exhibit elastic behavior, which we exploit in such diverse applications as hoses, automotive tires, and bicycle suspension units. 

When preparing synthetic fibers it is usually preferable to avoid crystals that can undergo phase transitions in the temperature ranges of their intended application. This is one reason why amorphous inorganic phosphate fibers may not function well for an extended period. Attempts to prepare phosphate glass fibers have always met with failure in past years when refractory requirements were desired. Additionally, molecular weights in glasses are relatively small when compared to crystals of a similar composition. Two problems have usually been encountered. 

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