Because of their approximately spherical or globular morphology, the properties
of hyperbranched polymers differ from traditional linear polymers in that they
have relatively low molecular volume for a given molecular weight and have a
high concentration of end groups. In addition, the end group concentration
remains relatively constant as molecular weight increases. These unique
structural features of hyperbranched polymers result in uncommon combinations
of physical properties and opportunities for achieving interesting new
properties in end-use applications. How the structural features of
hyperbranched polymers might translate to physical properties and ultimately to
end-use performance in radiation-cured applications is described in Figure
2.