Abstract Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA),a widely used polymer material in daily life,finds applications in midsoles of sports shoes,food packaging,and medical materials. Taking the XL EXTRALIGHT technology featured in the “Essential” torch for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics as a starting point,this paper analyzes EVA’s chemical structure,multi-phase composition,and crosslinking mechanism,establishing correlations among “microstructure-crosslinking network-macroscopic properties”. Through application cases of EVA in footwear,packaging,and medical fields,the study elaborates on the chemical principle that “structure determines properties”,and proposes a teaching practice plan for polymer chemistry. This work provides chemistry educators with exemplary teaching materials that connect daily-life materials to molecular design understanding and scientific thinking cultivation,promoting the integration of chemical education with real-world applications.
LIU Guang-Liang, CHU Kai-Gui. Chemistry Teaching Value of 2026 Milan Winter Olympics Torch: Structure, Properties and Industrial Synthesis of Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Education, 2026, 47(15): 7-13.
