Book excerpt: This 2nd edition of Handbook of Curatives and Crosslinkers presents the mechanisms of action of these additives, methods of their use, their effects on the properties of transformed products, as well as their applications. It outlines the most-recent information on additives that convert soluble monomers, prepolymers, or polymers to insoluble polymer networks commonly known as thermosetting polymers. Chapters cover the common use of curatives in many industrial products manufactured in large scale, such as adhesives, sealants, coatings, inks, explosives, propellants and foams, and in emerging products such as optoelectronics, light-emitting diodes, shape memory polymers, and more. In addition, crosslinkers used in typical industrial processing methods, such as solar cells, vulcanization, adhesives, foams, and roofing are covered. Each section presents the effect of the additive, including an evaluation of its chemical and physical properties. Also available is the complementary Databook of Curatives and Crosslinkers, Second Edition, which provides information on both the commercial and generic chemical products used as curatives and crosslinkers. - Covers the use of curatives in emerging products such as optoelectronics, light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal displays, self-healing materials, and in shape-memory materials - Presents emerging applications, such as drug release, artificial muscles in microdevices, autonomous shape-memory actuators, hygienic textiles, membranes, scaffolds, recycling, sensors, tissue adhesives, wound dressing, and more - Discusses the selection, chemical and physical properties, mechanics, and the effects of crosslinkers and curatives