polymer chemistry Polymer chemistry is a sub-discipline of chemistry that focuses on the structures, chemical synthesis, and chemical and physical properties of polymers and macromolecules. The principles and methods used within polymer chemistry are also applic ...

, a chain extender is a low molecular weight (MW) reagent that converts polymeric precursors to higher molecular weight derivatives. Often, it is convenient to prepare a polymer at an intermediate MW, which are suitable for solution- or melt-processing. At or near the final stages of production, the material is treated with a chain extender. Typically, chain extenders are bifunctional, i.e., they have two functional groups, which can link together two polymers. Representative classes of chain extenders are diglycidyl ethers,

diol A diol is a chemical compound containing two hydroxyl groups ( groups). An aliphatic diol may also be called a glycol. This pairing of functional groups is pervasive, and many subcategories have been identified. They are used as protecting gro ...

diamine A diamine is an amine with two amino groups. Diamines are used as monomers to prepare polyamides, polyimides, and polyureas. The term ''diamine'' refers mostly to Primary (chemistry), primary diamines, as those are the most reactive. In terms of ...

s, or dianhydrides. Chain extenders are often applied to

polyurethane Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) is a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethane term ...

s.{{cite book , doi=10.1016/C2012-0-02516-1 , title=Reactive Polymers Fundamentals and Applications , year=2013 , publisher=Elsevier , isbn=9781455731497, editor=Johannes Karl Fink

References

Coatings Elastomers Plastics