Prepare for the Leaving Certificate Technology exam. Explore materials technology with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Master your exam content quickly and accurately. Boost your confidence and ace the exam on the first try!

Multiple Choice

Which statement correctly classifies epoxy as a thermosetting polymer?

Thermosetting polymers form a permanent, cross-linked network when they cure, so they become rigid and insoluble and do not melt upon heating. Epoxy resins undergo a curing reaction with a hardener that creates many chemical bonds between polymer chains, giving a three-dimensional network. That network prevents flow, making the material infusible and resistant to melting even at higher temperatures. Because of this permanent set after curing, epoxy is classified as a thermosetting polymer. It isn’t a thermoplastic (which softens and can be remelted when heated), and it isn’t a metal or an alloy.

Thermosetting polymers form a permanent, cross-linked network when they cure, so they become rigid and insoluble and do not melt upon heating. Epoxy resins undergo a curing reaction with a hardener that creates many chemical bonds between polymer chains, giving a three-dimensional network. That network prevents flow, making the material infusible and resistant to melting even at higher temperatures. Because of this permanent set after curing, epoxy is classified as a thermosetting polymer. It isn’t a thermoplastic (which softens and can be remelted when heated), and it isn’t a metal or an alloy.