Does a chemical reaction occur when a polymer is physically severed?

Subject: Does a chemical reaction occur when a polymer is physically severed?

Date: Tue May 23 21:34:48 2000
Posted by Alyssa Becker
Grade level: grad (science) School: Univertsity of Alberta
City: No city entered. State/Province: No state entered. Country: No country entered.
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 959132088.Ch

Message:


What happens on a chemical level when a polymeric material (like paper, 
fabric or textiles) is cut with a knife or scissors?  I'm guessing that 
because polymers are generally quite long, chemical bonds must be broken 
when the material is cut.  Is this correct?  Do free radicals form at the 
end of the cut polymers?
I have recently taken undergrad level organic chemistry, and am curious 
about what the chemical mechanism(if its known)might be.

Re: Does a chemical reaction occur when a polymer is physically severed?

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