| What are plastics? | | | | resin that's basically a cross between acrylic and |
| Plastics as we broadly understand it today are | | | | polycarbonate. |
| synthetic or semi synthetic products or raw materials, | | | | Polycarbonate |
| formed by polymerisation, and are largely derived from | | | | First developed in the 1950s, these thermoplastics most |
| oil. Polymerisation is the formation of polymers i.e. | | | | popularly have engineering applications. This is due to |
| repeated numbers of smaller structures (monomers) | | | | polycarbonate's strength coupled with versatility, and its |
| joined together. | | | | electrical insulating properties. Applications include |
| It wasn't until the 1860s that the first semi synthetic | | | | machine guards, capacitors, gaskets etc. |
| materials or plastics were first brought to the attention | | | | Perspex |
| of the world, and since the development of | | | | This is a variety of polycarbonate. It is popularly |
| thermoplastics throughout the 1900s it's hard to imagine | | | | developed in sheet form and is widely recognised as a |
| how difficult life would be without plastic. The main | | | | kind of 'clear' plastic. |
| reasons why plastics replaced more traditional | | | | Polypropylene |
| materials are quite straightforward when you think | | | | Another plastic developed in the 1950s with industrial |
| about them. | | | | applications, this is particularly suitable for hot fill |
| What's so good about plastics? | | | | packaging because it has low density but is very rigid. |
| Plastics are relatively light and very durable. The | | | | Other applications include carpeting and packaging. |
| hundreds of different plastic varieties are ultimately | | | | PVC |
| recyclable, although it's only in recent years that our UK | | | | Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) can be shaped and moulded |
| society has begun to take advantage of plastic | | | | into an exceptionally wide variety of products. |
| recycling, often in tandem with our weekly waste | | | | Chemical Plant Industry applications of PVC include |
| collections. Plastics have great thermal and insulating | | | | water tight tanks, and ducting for Clean Air Systems. |
| properties (clothes, carpets, bedding etc). Plastics are | | | | PETG |
| resistant to many chemicals and water, as well as | | | | Polyethylene Terephalate Glycol (PETG) is another |
| being very strong. | | | | industrial thermoplastic. Applications include frames, sign |
| Most notably though, plastics have proven relatively | | | | holders and point of purchase displays. |
| inexpensive to produce, and are so versatile that they | | | | How it takes shape |
| can take on almost any form and colour. | | | | Modern advances in plastic fabrication, moulding, |
| What are the popular types of plastics and what's the | | | | casting, extrusion, thermoforming, cutting, bending, |
| difference between them? | | | | machining, gluing, welding, stamping of sheets, plastic |
| Acrylics | | | | engraving, fibres and solid blocks mean that our |
| These were developed in the 1930s. Acrylics are | | | | imagination provides the only real limitations to what |
| particularly resistant to the weather and the sun. | | | | form plastics can take. |
| Acrylic is particularly effective as 'clear' plastics, and | | | | Conclusion |
| transmits light brilliantly. Applications include leaflet | | | | If you asked most people, they would be unlikely to |
| holders, signs, display cases, boat windows and point | | | | know what plastics actually are, and even more |
| of sale to name but a few. | | | | unlikely to be able to tell you the difference between |
| Plexiglas | | | | the many types. Despite this, plastics are a central and |
| Often wrongly spelled as Plexiglass, Plexiglas is | | | | essential part of modern daily life. |
| actually a brand name for a kind of clear thermoplastic | | | | |