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
Texas Gulf Sulfur Company Texas Gulf Sulfur Company The Texas Gulf Sulphur Company was one of the largest sulfur mining companies in the world from 1919 to 1981. The Gulf Sulphur Company was formed on December 23, 1909 by a group of investors from St. Louis and Texas. The company was formed to exploit the newly discovered sulfur deposit in the Big Hill salt dome near Matagorda, Texas, using the Frasch Process. In 1916 Bernard Baruch and J.P. Morgan took control of the company and Seeley W. Mudd became President. On 16 July 1918, the company was renamed the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company. Construction