Chemical
crosslinking of high-molar-mass linear or branched polymers to give a
polymer network.
Notes:
- The polymer network formed often displays rubber-like elasticity.
However, a high concentration of crosslinks can lead to rigid materials.
- A classic example of vulcanization is the crosslinking of
cis-polyisoprene through sulfide bridges in the thermal treatment
of natural rubber with sulfur or a sulfur-containing compound.
Source:
PAC, 2007, 79, 1801
(Definitions of terms relating to the structure and processing of sols, gels, networks,
and inorganic-organic hybrid materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2007))
on page 1826