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Thermoplastic polymer
A polymer whose chains are not chemically bonded to one another and can flow past each other when molten or dissolved; it can be repeatedly melted by heat and hardened by cooling. The compendium classes poly(vinyl acetates) as thermoplastic, and the adhesives most used in furniture conservation (hot and cold hide glues, hot-melt synthetics) are thermoplastic materials.
Also called: Thermoplastic
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Sources cited on this page
- Adhesive Compendium for Conservation (Jane L. Down, Canadian Conservation Institute, 2015), Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), Government of Canada (2015, catalogue number CH57-4/4-2015E-PDF (x, 256 pages)). Where: pp. 3–4, Introduction – Thermoplastic polymers; p. 65, Poly(vinyl acetates) – Category; p. 178, Furniture and Wooden Objects – Selection and use of adhesives in furniture conservation.