Shared flowchart

Chemistry · L3 · Thermoplastic vs Thermoset Under Heat

Sign in to clone

Why a thermoplastic melts and can be reshaped again and again, while a cross-linked thermoset only chars once heated.

by @openstemUpdated Chemistry
Reheat a polymerAre the chains cross-linked?Chains slide apart as heat is addedSoftens and meltsCan be reshaped, then cooled to resetRepeatable — melt, mold, cool, remeltCross-links hold chains rigidly in placeChains cannot slide even when heatedScorches or chars instead of meltingShape is permanent — set once, never re-moldedNo — thermoplasticYes — thermoset

We use privacy-friendly product analytics (no session recording, PII masked) to improve OpenStem. Load analytics? Privacy Policy