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GCSE Chemistry · key term
A polymer whose separate chains can move past one another when heated, allowing the material to melt and be reshaped.
Used by AQA
Specification 4.10.3.3 · Paper 2
Revise: Ceramics, Polymers, and CompositesIn a thermosoftening polymer, however, there are no strong covalent cross-links connecting one chain to another. Heating supplies enough energy to overcome the weaker attractions between the chains, so the chains can move past one another. The polymer softens and melts and can be reshaped when hot.
When explaining heating behaviour, refer to structure: thermosetting polymers have strong cross-links between chains, whereas thermosoftening polymers do not.
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