Plastic Materials

Plastic Materials

Plastics are beneficial for their flexibility in color, shape and hardness, as well as for their ability to withstand extreme temperatures. This material is used in almost every environment, including medical, commercial, domestic and industrial settings. Plastic materials are formed into many different shapes, including sheets, pipes, profiles, fittings, film and rods and are used to produce an extremely wide range of products that span every industry--anything from computer housings to children's toys are made from plastic materials. The shapes that plastic may be formed from a number of different specific polymers, and there are a multitude of different benefits for each shape. Plastic film, for example, is shaped in such thin and continuous sheets so that it might be utilized as plastic bags, shrink wrap and packaging material. It may also serve as an anti-static control tool. Plastic rods are much like plastic tubes, except the do not have the hollow center of tubes and are therefore not utilized by liquid piping companies. They are however used by construction companies as structural supports and industrial machining companies as support parts of the machines.

Generally, plastic materials fall into two different categories: thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics become pliable when they are heated and rigid when cooled. Common thermoplastics include acrylics, polypropylene, and butyl. Thermoplastic polymers differ from thermosetting polymers, which can never be melted or remolded after being cured. Other common plastics include nylon, celluloid, rayon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene, and many more. Specific characteristics make certain plastics more attractive to specific industries then others. For example, aquariums utilize acrylic, which is crystal clear, scratch resistant and able to be molded seamlessly, as well as being bulletproof when cut thicker than an inch. Polyethylene is the food and beverage processing plastic, because it is thin and easy to recycle. Increasing environmental concern has led to a higher prevalence of recycled plastics. Within the US, plastic recycling programs are becoming more and more common. In order to aid in the recycling effort, the Plastic Bottle Institute of the Society of the Plastics Industry devised a now-familiar method of marking plastic bottles by plastic type. There has also been research performed on biodegradable plastics, but so far these plastics have proven too costly and limited for most uses.