Network synthesis: the main principles

There are two main ways of synthesizing three-dimensional polymers.

One is based exclusively on small molecules, with the initial reaction mixture generally being a low-viscosity liquid. This route lends itself well to low-pressure techniques such as casting and fiber impregnation.

The other route starts with macromolecules, either alone or mixed with small molecules. In this case, cross-linking generally takes place after shaping, possibly under high pressure, in a mold.

The whole arsenal of synthesis techniques available in macromolecular chemistry (radical, anionic or cationic polymerization, polycondensation, copolymerization/copolycondensation, thermal, photochemical, radiochemical, etc.) is...