PLASTICS

Learning objectives

To understand the differences between

thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics.
To become familiar with the properties of different
types of plastic, and know what each is typically
used for.
To be aware of the origins of plastics and with the
range of industrial processes used to manufacture
plastic products.
 Plastics
There are two main groups of plastics:
thermosetting plastics The word
thermoplastic plastics. What does
‘plastic’ the
means
word ‘plastic’
‘easily shaped
Thermoplastic plastics:
or mean?
moulded’.
Formed by heat

Soften when heated

Made of long
polymer chains
with few cross links

Can be reheated
and reshaped
Mostly recyclable
Thermosetting plastics:

Initially set by heat

Consist of polymer Cannot be

chains with strong reshaped once set
bonds between
each chain

Strong and durable Common in powder

or resin forms
Thermoplastic plastics are made of long chains of polymers
which don’t cross over very often. When heated, the molecules
slip easily over one another.

Less rigid than thermosets, thermoplastics can soften upon

heating and return to their original form. They are easily molded
and extruded into films, fibers and packaging.

Examples include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and

polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
• Thermosetting plastics also have lots of long
chain molecules, but there are links between
them. These cross links prevent the molecules
from moving over one another.
• Once cooled and hardened, these plastics retain
their shapes and cannot return to their original
form. They are hard and durable. Thermosets can
be used for auto parts, aircraft parts and tires.
• Examples include polyurethanes, polyesters,
epoxy resins and phenolic resins.
 Thermoplastic plastics
The majority of common plastics are thermoplastics.
Thermoplastics can be heated and reshaped because of the
ways in which the molecules are joined together.
This can be repeated many times (as long as no damage is
caused by overheating).

Heat

Harden Soften

Cool
Thermoplastic plastics
 Thermosetting plastics
Thermosetting plastics are those which are set with heat and
have little elasticity. Once set, they cannot be reheated and
reformed.
They are heated and moulded Burn
during manufacture.
Once cooled, they will not
Heat
soften again when heated.
This breaks the potentially
unending cycle that Harden Soften
thermoplastic plastics are
capable of.
If heated too much, they burn. Cool
 Uses of plastics (thermoplastics)
Here are some common products made from thermoplastics. Can
you say which type of thermoplastic each one is made of?

Polystyrene High density

Polypropylene polythene Low density polythene

ABS
Acrylic
Why do thermoplastics make good materials for
What other usesthese
do these thermoplastics have?
products?
 Uses of plastics (thermosets)
Thermosets have different qualities to thermoplastics.

Epoxy
resin Phenol
formaldehyde
Melamine
formaldehyde Urea
formaldehyde

GRP
 Why do we use plastics?
Think of five reasons why we use plastics. How many of
them are mentioned below?

They are soft to the touch.

They can be
shaped into very
complex shapes.

They are tough and durable.

They are strong.

They are light in weight.
They can be shaped easily,
quickly and cheaply.

They are available in a large range of colours.

 Early and modern plastics
Plastic materials were first used at around 2000BC.
Plastics can occur naturally in trees or even milk;
amber is an example (a resin from trees and
insects). Amber was used by early Egyptians to make
jewellery and is still used for this purpose today.

Today, numerous different plastics are

available. Some are still made from natural
materials but most modern plastics are
manufactured from chemicals obtained
from crude oil. Plastics manufacturers
convert chemicals into plastics.
Oil - the raw material for plastics
Pump
Pipeline
We obtain crude oil from
Oil well under ground, either on
land or at sea.

Layers After it has been pumped,

of rock it is heated in a
fractioning tower and
broken down into
Gas chemicals.

Oil The chemicals consist of

nitrogen, carbon,
chlorine, sulfur and water.
 Acrylic
Acrylic is available in
many different colours.

Acrylic is stronger It comes in sheets

than glass, but or as round rods.
scratches easily.

It is also used to
These properties Acrylic can resist the
make many outer
make acrylic ideal weather very well.
cases for toys.
for shop signs.

It can be softened and bent, blown or

twisted into many different shapes.
 Polystyrene foam
Polystyrene foam can be easily shaped and is very light. This
makes it suitable for modelling three-dimensional objects.
 Bakelite – a very early plastic
Bakelite was one of the first artificial plastics
and was created in 1909 by Leo Baekeland.
It is used for telephones, radios and electrical
equipment.

Bakelite is a hard, brittle plastic that

has a natural dark glossy colour.
It resists heat without softening.
It is a good thermal insulator and a
good electrical insulator.
When overheated, it burns and
smells.
 Melamine
Melamine plastics have similar properties to Bakelite.
However, they have the added advantage of being able to be
coloured during processing.

Melamine Urea
formaldehyde formaldehyde

Melamine formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde are two

types of melamine plastics.
 Polyester
Polyester resin is a
resin
Polyester resin can be
chemical hardener. reinforced with glass fibre.
It will set at room Glass-reinforced polyester resin
temperature. or glass-reinforced plastic
(GRP) is used for making motor
When set, the plastic is stiff,
cycle fairings and boats.
hard and brittle.
When working with it in
large projects, it is advised
to use gloves and a
chemical respirator to
protect yourself from the
fumes.
 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or
PETE):
• John Rex Whinfield invented a new polymer in
1941 when he condensed ethylene glycol with
terephthalic acid. The condensate was
polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE). PET
is a thermoplastic that can be drawn into
fibers (like Dacron) and films (like Mylar). It's
the main plastic in ziplock food storage bags.
 Polystyrene (Styrofoam):
• Polystyrene is formed by styrene molecules. The
double bond between the CH2 and CH parts of the
molecule rearranges to form a bond with adjacent
styrene molecules, thereby producing polystyrene.
• It can form a hard impact-resistant plastic for furniture,
cabinets (for computer monitors and TVs), glasses and
utensils.
• When polystyrene is heated and air blown through the
mixture, it forms Styrofoam. Styrofoam is lightweight,
moldable and an excellent insulator.
 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC):
• PVC is a thermoplastic that is formed when
vinyl chloride (CH2=CH-Cl) polymerizes. When
made, it's brittle, so manufacturers add a
plasticizer liquid to make it soft and moldable.
PVC is commonly used for pipes and plumbing
because it's durable, can't be corroded and is
cheaper than metal pipes. Over long periods
of time, however, the plasticizer may leach out
of it, rendering it brittle and breakable.
 Polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon):
• Teflon was made in 1938 by DuPont. It's
created by polymerization of
tetrafluoroethylene molecules (CF2=CF2). The
polymer is stable, heat-resistant, strong,
resistant to many chemicals and has a nearly
frictionless surface. Teflon is used in plumbing
tape, cookware, tubing, waterproof coatings,
films and bearings.
 Polyvinylidine Chloride (Saran):
• Dow makes Saran resins, which are
synthesized by polymerization of vinylidine
chloride molecules (CH2=CCl2). The polymer
can be drawn into films and wraps that are
impermeable to food odors. Saran wrap is a
popular plastic for packaging foods.
 Polyethylene, LDPE and HDPE:
• The most common polymer in plastics is
polyethylene, which is made from ethylene
monomers (CH2=CH2). The first polyethylene was
made in 1934. Today, we call it low-density
polyethylene (LDPE) because it will float in a
mixture of alcohol and water. In LDPE, the
polymer strands are entangled and loosely
organized, so it's soft and flexible. It was first
used to insulate electrical wires, but today it's
used in films, wraps, bottles, disposable gloves
and garbage bags.
• In the 1950s, Karl Ziegler polymerized ethylene in
the presence of various metals. The resulting
polyethylene polymer was composed of mostly
linear polymers. This linear form produced
tighter, denser, more organized structures and is
now called high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
HDPE is a harder plastic with a higher melting
point than LDPE, and it sinks in an alcohol-water
mixture. HDPE was first introduced in the hula
hoop, but today it's mostly used in containers.
 Polypropylene (PP):
• In 1953, Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, working
independently, prepared polypropylene from
propylene monomers (CH2=CHCH3) and
received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963.
The various forms of polypropylene have
different melting points and hardnesses.
Polypropylene is used in car trim, battery
cases, bottles, tubes, filaments and bags.
 Vacuum forming

When plastic is used to make a large number of

identical products, industrial processes are used.
Specialized machines are used to mass produce
products.
Injection moulding
Blow moulding
Line bending
Compression moulding
Extrusion
 Finishing techniques
Plastics have excellent surface qualities. As they are
self-finishing, plastics require little or no surface finish.
However, when designers want a specific colour or texture,
spray paints can be used.
Use wet and dry paper (wet) to smooth the surface down
and create a ‘key’ for the primer to grip to.
Primer is used to create an undercoat to protect the plastic
and provide a good surface finish for the top coat. The
primer should be rubbed down using wet and dry paper
between coats.
Top coat is applied once the primer has completely
hardened. There are different surface textures; gloss, matt
and metallic being the most common. Top coat is applied in
several layers to build up a thick, tough surface layer on the
top of the primer.
 Plastics combined with other
materials
Plastics are very useful materials. They are durable, easy to join,
self-finishing, easy to mould and not susceptible to rot or sust.
However, sometimes their properties are enhanced by
combining them with other materials.
Carbon fibre can be added to thermosetting plastics to improve
their strength. Golf clubs, tennis racquets, cycle frames and
fishing rods are made using carbon fibre composite.
 Key points
Plastics can come under the categories of
thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics. Both have
very different properties.
Key points

Most modern plastics are manufactured from

chemicals obtained from crude oil.
Plastic can be shaped or formed using a variety of
industrial processes such as vacuum forming,
injection moulding, blow moulding, line bending,
compression moulding and extrusion.
There are also a number of finishing techniques that
can be used to give a particular colour or texture to a
plastic.