Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Since the discovery of plastics in the late 19th century, plastic material has integrated into
every corner of our lives. It has been used for containers, packing materials, clothing,
furniture, as well as shelters.
Flexibility:
Various kinds of additives could be added to broaden plastic uses and application. For
example, solvents could be added to make an adhesive or paint.
Resistant to chemicals
Usually do not have reactions (or low reaction rate) with air, water, and most of the
common chemicals, such as acid and bases.
Unbreakability
As compared to glass, plastics are relatively tough. As there are strong intermolecular
forces holding the polymer chain in plastic structures.
(E)-T1-5-1
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1960
1966
1972
1978
1984
1989
1993
year
B.
They are man-made polymers of hydrocarbons produced mostly from oil and natural gas.
C. What is a polymer?
The word polymer is derived from the Greek. Poly means many and Meros means
parts.
(E)-T1-5-2
Polymerisation
Monomers
For example: Under ~200OC, >2000 atmospheres and the presence of oxygen, ethylene is
H
C C
H
C C
+
H
H
+
H
C C
ethylene
H H H H H H
C C C C C C
H H H H H H
polyethylene
Examples of polymers:
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
Teflon
Nylon
Dacron
Suggested
Plastics are
generally classified into two categories according to its property towards
activity:
Production
heating. of nylon
1.
Thermoplastics
They can be reshaped, as intermolecular forces among long flexible polymer chains
(Figure 1) can be weakened by high temperature, and the plastic soften again.
After being softened, they can be recycled (remoulded) for some other use.
E.g. Polyethylene plastic milk containers.
Examples of thermoplastics:
(E)-T1-5-3
Food-storage bags
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
Drink containers
High-density poly ethylene (HDPE)
2. Thermosetting plastics
They are polymers being shaped through irreversible chemical processes
Composed of rigid and hard giant network (cross links formed between the chains at
different points hold them tightly, Figure 1).
Under strong heating, the plastics decomposes rather than softens.
Therefore, they cannot be reshaped readily.
Figure 1. Structures of thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics
The great usage of plastic materials also brings the issue of plastic waste disposal, which
is one of the major environmental problems.
1. Disposal in landfill
Most of the plastics used today are non-degradable or take 200-400 years to degrade
in landfill sites.
(E)-T1-5-4
Moreover, toxic chemicals such as cadmium and lead compounds that are used as
binders, colorants and stabilizers in making plastics.
Leakage of toxic compounds resulting in contamination of surface water and
underground water in landfills.
The leachate collected in landfills required specific treatment to lower the
toxicity.
2. Incineration
Nitrogen, halogens (F, Cl, etc.), benzene and other chemicals are the constituents of
monomers of plastics.
(E)-T1-5-5
E.
chlorinated compounds
Base catalyst, > 300OC
Donor
(E)-T1-5-6
Produces hydrocarbons with small molecular mass (e.g. ethane) that can be separated
by fractional distillation and used as fuels and chemicals.
However, pyrolysis of plastics is uneconomical and still at an experimental stage.
F. Recycling of plastics
Suggested Student Activity
Display some plastic products and comment on the degradability and recycling potential
of the plastics.
Thermoplastics can be heated and reformed for multiple times. In other words, they are
generally amenable to recycling.
Thermosetting plastics often decompose when they are heated. Therefore, they cannot
be simply remoulded and reformed into new products. As a result, they are not very
amenable to recycling.
Before plastics can be recycled, they must be sorted into different type of resins* as they
require different recycling methods. Unseparated plastic refuse has little value because
its properties depend on the type of plastic materials that make up the waste mixture.
(E)-T1-5-7
In this regard, industry does not want to recycle plastic waste mixture because it may plug
up its machinery due to its different melting temperatures. Separating plastics by polymer
type is very costly because machines cannot do the separation process.
Moreover, the additives such as plasticisers and pigments are still present, so the recycled
plastics can only be used to make cheap products with few uses (e.g. insulating bricks).
The number in the middle of the logo and the abbreviation below it indicate the kind of
polymer from which the container is made.
the
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Abbreviation
PETE
HDPE
V
LDPE
PP
PS
OTHER
Polymer
Polyethylene terephthalate
High density polyethylene
Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)
Low density polyethylene
Polypropylene
Polystyrene
Others
These
logos
facilitate
sorting
Separation of plastics into different kinds is essential before heating and re-moulding.
The lower the number, the easier with which the material can be recycled.
One effort on recycling of plastics focuses on the conversion of plastic products with
short service lives (e.g. foam and wrap) into products with long service lives (e.g.
construction materials and plastic pipe). For example:
(E)-T1-5-8
Plastic soft drink bottles (polyethylene terephthalate) are being recycled to make
carpets and insulation for ski jackets.
Used polystyrene coffee cups and throw-away plates are being converted to plastic
lumber, which are resistant to termites and water.
Outdoor furniture made of plastic lumber.
In addition to commonly used methods such as recycling, land filling and incineration;
degradation of plastic materials to smaller and less harmful molecules has held a
promising future in minimising the negative impact of plastic materials to environment.
1.
Biodegradation
2.
Photodegradation
Photodegradable plastics undergo chain scission upon absorption of ultraviolet (UV)
radiation from the sun.
High molecular weight polymer molecules of the plastic materials are broken down into
smaller
fragments.
The
smaller
fragments
eventually
degraded
by
various
microorganisms.
An example of photodegradable plastic:
(E)-T1-5-9
A photodegradable
six-pack ring
References:
1. Curlee, T. R. and Das, S. (1991) Plastic Wastes: Management, Control, Recycling, and
Disposal. New Jersey: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
2. Hegberg, B. A., Brenniman, G. R. and Hallenbeck, W. H. (1992) Mixed Plastics Recycling Technology. New Jersey: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
3. Hoyle, W. and Karsa, D. R. (1997) Chemical Aspects of Plastics Recycling. Cambridge:
Royal Society of Chemistry.
(E)-T1-5-10