Common Thermoplastics and Their Properties
This handbook provides an overview of polymers and plastics. It explains the processing techniques, properties, and classification of thermoplastics.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Common Thermoplastics and Their Properties
Chapter 1: Common Thermoplastics and Their Properties
Plastic, a type of polymer, can be divided into two main subgroups, namely thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics are plastic materials that have the property of softening repeatedly on the application of heat and of hardening again when cooled. Thermoplastic polymers are linear, long chain polymers that are soluble in organic solvents. You can easily mold these materials by heating. Their hardness is temporary, changing with the rise or fall of temperature. On the other hand, thermosets are plastic materials that become permanently hard or rigid when treated.
This handbook describes the synthesis, structure, properties, and applications of important thermoplastic materials.
Plastics
A plastic is a type of polymer. All plastics are polymers but not all polymers are plastics. Polymers can be fibers, elastomers, or adhesives. Plastics are a wide group of solid composite materials that are largely organic, usually based on synthetic resins or modified polymers of natural origin, and possess appreciable mechanical strength. A plastic exhibits plasticity and the ability to be deformed or undergo change of shape under pressure, temperature, or both. At a suitable stage in their manufacture, you can cast, mold, or polymerize most plastics directly.
Resins are basic building materials that constitute the greater bulk of plastics. Resins undergo polymerization reactions during the development of plastics. Plastics are formed when polymers are blended with specific external materials in a process known as compounding. The important compounding ingredients include plastisizers, stabilizers, chelating agents, and antuoxidants.
Some advantages of using plastics are:
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Light weight
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Higher strength
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