Which outcome results when a polymer's cross-linking density rises above a critical threshold under sustained load?

💡 Explanation

Increased cross-linking hinders chain mobility in the polymer, triggering **covalent bonding saturation**, because chains can no longer easily slide past each other. Therefore, the material's elasticity drops and it becomes prone to brittle fracture, rather than deforming elastically due to chain disentanglement.

• Which outcome occurs when a large nucleus undergoes asymmetric nuclear fission?
• Which risk increases when laser light exceeds lens NA?
• Which outcome occurs when annealing a metal containing a high density of dislocations?
• Which increased outcome results when an electron's energy is briefly below the required minimum through a MOS capacitor's silicon dioxide insulating layer?
• Which phenomenon decreases the overall reaction rate in unimolecular gas-phase decomposition at elevated pressures?
• Which outcome results when high concentrations of hydrogen diffuse through palladium?