Interpenetrating polymer network
Encyclopedia
An Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) is a polymer
comprising two or more networks which are at least partially interlaced on a polymer scale but not covalently bonded to each other. The network cannot be separated unless chemical bonds are broken.
The two or more networks can be envisioned to be entangled in such a way that they are concatenated and cannot be pulled apart, but not bonded to each other by any chemical bond.
Simply mixing two or more polymers does not create an interpenetrating polymer network (polymer blend
), nor does creating a polymer network out of more than one kind of monomers which are bonded to each other to form one network (heteropolymer
or copolymer).
There are semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (SIPN) and pseudo-interpenetrating polymer networks.
To prepare IPNs and SIPNs, the different components are formed simultaneously or sequentially.
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
comprising two or more networks which are at least partially interlaced on a polymer scale but not covalently bonded to each other. The network cannot be separated unless chemical bonds are broken.
The two or more networks can be envisioned to be entangled in such a way that they are concatenated and cannot be pulled apart, but not bonded to each other by any chemical bond.
Simply mixing two or more polymers does not create an interpenetrating polymer network (polymer blend
Polymer blend
A polymer blend or polymer mixture is a member of a class of materials analogous to metal alloys, in which at least two polymers are blended together to create a new material with different physical properties. Section 3.2 Polymer Mixtures-History:...
), nor does creating a polymer network out of more than one kind of monomers which are bonded to each other to form one network (heteropolymer
Heteropolymer
A heteropolymer or copolymer is a polymer derived from two monomeric species, as opposed to a homopolymer where only one monomer is used...
or copolymer).
There are semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (SIPN) and pseudo-interpenetrating polymer networks.
To prepare IPNs and SIPNs, the different components are formed simultaneously or sequentially.