Polymers are classified in four groups, based on their network structure: thermoplastics, elastomers, duromers and thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). Thermoplastics consist of long linear one-dimensional polymer chains that are held together by weak physical forces such as intermolecular interactions.

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When exposed to heat or shear forces, they become free flowing and formable. When cooled down, the material becomes again rigid. As this process is purely physical, it can be repeated at any time and as often as necessary (example: polypropylene). Duromers are tightly cross-linked polymers that do not melt under high temperature and retain their network structure. At room temperature, they are hard and brittle (example: epoxy resin). Elastomers, often referred to as rubbers, are chemically cross-linked and extremely elastic. They are not formable after vulcanisation. The material can be temporarily deformed by compression and stress forces and returns to its original structure as soon as the forces are no more applied (example: NR). Thermoplastic elastomers consist of thermoplastic end blocks (e.g. polystyrene) and an elastic midblock (e.g. ethylene-butylene). This makes the material free flowing and formable. When the material is cooled down, physical cross-links are established, which bond the elastic blocks into rigid three-dimensional networks. Thermoplastic elastomers thus have the properties of elastomers but can be processed in the same way as thermoplastics.