Branching (polymer chemistry) Branching (polymer chemistry) In polymer chemistry, branching occurs by the replacement of a substituent, e.g., a hydrogen atom, on a monomer subunit, by another covalently bonded chain of that polymer; or, in the case of a graft copolymer, by a chain of another type. Branched polymers have more compact and symmetrical molecular conformations, and exhibit intra-heterogeneous dynamical behavior with respect to the unbranched polymers. In crosslinking rubber by vulcanization, short sulfur branches link polyisoprene chains (or a synthetic variant) into a multiply branched thermosetting elastomer. Rubber can also be so completely vulcanized that it becomes a rigid solid, so hard
Ethylene propylene rubber aprotic. Amorphous forms of EPM are flexible at low temperatures (with glass transition points around -60 °C). Via selection of certain sulfur compounds EPM can remain heat resistant up to 130 °C and up to 160 °C with peroxide curing. These two tables contain some of the main properties of EPM. EPM has a large number of uses due to the many ways in which the polymer can be designed, for example; it is used in automotive weather-stripping and seals, self-amalgamating tape, glass run channels, radiators, garden and appliance hoses, tubing, belts, roofing membranes, expansion joints, rubber mechanical goods, plastic