Glossary of Terms and Definitions

Catalysts

Copolymers

Copolymers are additives that are included in the polymer blends with the intention to add certain properties to the main polymer. All polymers have principal properties that are desired, but bring others that are not. A good example is Styrene, which is clear, has great accuracy when molded into a shape but is very brittle and ages bad under sunlight. In certain commercial varnishes Butadyene can be added to give it some flexibility and UV protectors to make it more durable. The difference between copolymers and fillers is that the first ones participate in the chemical chain reaction and are bonded to the main monomer.

Curing see Hardening

Filler

Fillers are solid materials that are added to polymers (or cements) and that do not interact chemically with it. They remain inert but do add special desired mechanical features to the compound. These can range from density alteration (make the compound heavier or lighter) additional strength (fibers...), resistance to abrasion and improved thermal properties (sands...) or simply thinning the compound so as to make it cheaper in average.

Hardening

Monomer

Oligomer

Oligomers are big molecules composed of monomer bricks, joined together in more or less branched fashion, so as to provide polymerization seeds for the final polymer. A free analogy would be that monomers are to oligomers what a water molecule is to a snowflake. In commercial resins, oligomers are mixed with their monomer components so as to achieve a polymer of desired properties, due to their ability to spatially organize the polymerization process.

Setting

Viscosity

Viscosity is a property of fluids determining it's resistance to flow. The higher the viscosity, the more difficult a material will be to extrude or dispense (more energy/pressure will be needed). Also, the higher the viscosity, the less the deposited thread of material will sag or change shape until hardening(setting). For a detailed definition see: Wikipedia:Viscosity
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