Looking for Elasticity
Question:
For a research project at North Caroline State University, I am required to make bouncy balls out of a thermoplastic material. Please advise on what material I should use.
- Bouncy
Answer:
Dear Bouncy - Probably the best and easiest material to use for thermoplastic bouncy balls would be a triblock copolymer, such a styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) or styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) rubber. They consist of polystyrene sequences (or blocks) at each end of the chain and a butadiene or isoprene sequence in the center. This structure makes SBS and SIS into thermoplastic elastomers, materials that exhibit resilience and elasticity, yet can be melt processed like any thermoplastic.
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