Linear polymers, cross-linking extent

The softening behaviour of a thermoplastic material depends to a large extent on the flexibility of the chain and the ability to crystallise. Significant cross-linking of a reasonably stiff-chained polymer will lead to material that is unlikely to soften below its decomposition temperature. Intermediate to the linear and cross-linked polymers are various ladder polymers in which the polymer molecule consists of a pair of more-or-less parallel chains bridged in a manner analogous to the rungs of a ladder. 

Triethylsilyl acrylate can be induced lo undergo hydrolysis of the ethoxyl radicals to a desired extent forming linear or cross linked polymers. Addition polymerization will also lake place on the double bond of the acrylate radical. More stable monomers result from the use of allyl or vinyl groups instead of acrylates. The latter contain a silicon-oxygen-carhon linkage which is always more or less susceptible to hydrolysis. 

It is possible to classify polymers by their structure as linear, branched, cross-linked, and network polymers. In some polymers, called homopolymers, merely one monomer (a) is used for the formation of the chains, while in others two or more diverse monomers (a,p,y,...) can be combined to get different structures forming copolymers of linear, branched, cross-linked, and network polymeric molecular structures. Besides, on the basis of their properties, polymers are categorized as thermoplastics, elastomers, and thermosets. Thermoplastics are the majority of the polymers in use. They are linear or branched polymers characterized by the fact that they soften or melt, reversibly, when heated. Elastomers are cross-linked polymers that are highly elastic, that is, they can be lengthened or compressed to a considerable extent reversibly. Finally, thermosets are network polymers that are normally rigid and when heated do not soften or melt reversibly. 

The elastomers consist of very high molecular weight (-0.5 X 10 ) linear gums cross-linked after fabrication. In order to achieve such polymers it is necessary that very pure difunctional monomers be employed since the presence of monofunctional material will limit the molecular weight while trifunctional material will lead to cross-linking. Where dimethylsilicone rubbers are being prepared, the cyclic tetramer, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, which may be obtained free from mono- and trifunctional impurities, is often used. This tetramer occurs to the extent of about 25% during the hydrolysis of dichlorosilanes into polymers. 

A hydrophilic cross-linked gel (mostly polyacrylamide or polysaccharide gel), which is soaked with a solution of electrolytes, or a viscous solution of a linear polymer with an electrolyte, can also serve as the separation medium. Electrophoresis using such gels or polymeric media is called gel electrophoresis. The polymeric chains of the gel serve in most cases not only as a supporting medium but also influence to a great extent the movement of the separated species. The gels or solutions of linear polymers can also be filled into columns (channels), but as the structure... 

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