Plastics - WIP

Plastic

It is made from number of common substances such as coal, salt, natural gas, cotton, wood, and water from which relatively simple chemical known as monomers are built up into chainlike molecules of high molecular weight called polymers.

Resin

The basic ingredient of plastic. These are combined with fillers, stabilizers, plasticizers, pigments, and other components to form plastic.

Fillers

These are added to impart certain characteristic property, such as heat resistance or durability. Also called extenders; may be added to decrease the amount of relatively expensive plastic required and to increase the mass of the product.

Stabilizers

These lend protection against degradation of the plastic resulting from exposure to environmental conditions such as ultraviolet rays and even oxygen.

Plasticizers

These are mixed with resin to increase flexibility, resiliency, and impact resistance. The addition of component lends the required flexibility to sheet vinyl so that it can be rolled without cracking.

Injection molding

Method of processing plastic which is widespread due to the fact that this process can produce moldings of high quality with great accuracy. Predominantly used for thermoplastics.

Blow molding

This process is used in conjunction with extrusion. It is intended for use in manufacturing hollow plastic products.

Rotational molding

This process is relatively simple in concept since heat is used to melt and fuse a plastic resin inside a closed mold without using pressure. Rotation distributes plastic into a uniform coating on the inside of the mold until the plastic part cools and sets.

Thermoplastics

These plastics become soft when exposed to sufficient heat and hardens again when cooled, no matter how often this process is repeated. These offer higher impact strength, easier processing, and better adaptability to complex designs.

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)

Introduced in the late 1940s, it is very tough, but not brittle and is resistant to chemicals and to impact. It exhibits high gloss, low shrinkage, and good dimensional stability.

Acrylics

Chemical name, polymethyl methocrylate. These materials have the clarity of glass, good weatherability, surface hardness, and chemical resistance. Lightweight and colorfast and does not yellow with age. Used for skylight glazing, paint resins, etc. Lucite and Plexiglas are popular trade names.

Cellulosics

Primarily cellulose acetate, nitrate, or butyrate, used principally for paints and lacquers, and transparent sheeting. Cellulose nitrate was the first synthetic plastic material, developed in 1868.

Fluorocarbons/fluoroplastics

A group of extremely inert plastics, they are a class of paraffinic polymers that have some or all of the hydrogen replaced by fluorine. As resins, dispersions, oils, greases, and waxes, they have high thermal ability, excellent resistance to chemicals and low coefficient of friction, etc. Polyvinyl fluoride and polytetrafluoroethylene (trade name Teflon) are the most commonly used fluoroplastic.

Nylon

The term refers to a family of polymers called linear polyamides. They are tough,have low frictional coefficient, and resist wear better than many metals. It is elastic, and can be precolored to a wide range of colors. It is commonly used for chair caster rollers and drawer glides.

Polycarbonate

A polymer offering outstanding impact strength, dimensional stability under humidity or temperature, weather resistance, etc. It is injection-molded to produce plates, rods, gears, and other shaped parts.

Polyolefins

Include many popular plastics used in commerical interiors such as polybutylenes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes.

Polybutylene

These plastics exhibit good retention of mechanical properties at elevated temperatures and high tensile strength. The larges markets for these are plumbing supply pipe, sealants, etc.

Polyethylene

Known for their strength and flexibility, They are tough materials, have excellent chemical resistance, offers a low coefficient of friction and are easy to process; Used for vapor barriers, molded seating, drawer glides and door tracks.

Polypropylene

A material composed of polymers and propylene. It is the lightest of all commercial plastics. It is among the most versatile plastics and is employed in many fabrication methods. These are semitranslucent and are moderately priced. Commonly used in upholstery fabrics, carpet backing, and indoor/outdoor carpet fiber.