Chemical process of converting a prepolymer or a polymer into a polymer of higher molar mass and then into a network.
Notes: - Curing is achieved by the induction of chemical reactions which might or might not require mixing with a chemical curing agent.
- Physical aging, @C01434@, physical @CT07136@ and post-@P04740@ reactions are sometimes referred to as 'curing'. Use of the term 'curing' to describe such processes is deprecated.
See also: vulcanization
Source:
PAC, 2007, 79, 1801. 'Definitions of terms relating to the structure and processing of sols, gels, networks, and inorganic-organic hybrid materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2007)' on page 1822 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779101801)