Plastics: Composition of Plastic

Plastics
 an organic material with high molecular weight;

 prepared out of resins, with or without the incorporation of fillers,
plasticizers, solvents or pigments;
 Resins are the basic raw materials in plastic industry, and generally
there is no shortage of the raw materials for the preparation of
resins; it can be either of natural origin or of synthetic make;
 Synthetic resins are produced by the methods of polymerization
and condensation;
Composition of plastic:
 basically an organic substance prepared from natural or synthetic

resins;
 other materials like fillers, plasticizers, hardeners, pigments may be
added or not;
 Generally it’s a compounds of carbon with other elements such as
oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.
 Carbon combines with itself and other elements and forms more
complicated compounds.
Classification of plastics:
Basically two types of plastics:

i. Thermo-setting plastics and
ii. Thermo plastics.
i.Thermo-setting plastics:
 this variety requires great pressure and a momentarily heated

condition during shaping for subsequent hardening;
 heat sets up cross-linkages between the molecules, the result of
which is an infusible mass that is very hard and resistant to heat;
 It is non-fusible and insoluble;
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 During this process, chemical reactions take place, which are not
reversible;
 The scrap of a thermo-setting plastic article is not re-usable.
ii.Thermo-plastics
 this variety hardens due to a physical change occurring in the

materials;
 they could be softened by heat repeatedly, and the linkages
between molecules are rather loose;
 material becomes more hard as it cools down;
 the process of softening by heat and hardening when cooled down
could be repeated indefinitely;
 this property allows the scrap from the broken and rejected
articles, and the trimmings from moulding machines to be re-used;
 they are required to be kept for sometimes in the mould until they
cool down and harden;
 They are soluble in many solvents.
Various materials for plastics:
Common thermo-setting resins:

i. Phenol formal-dehyde
ii. Phenol furfurol-dehyde
iii. Urea formal-dehyde
iv. Casein plastics (casein is an oirganic adhesive, reacts with
formal-dehyde to yield a plastic material)
Common thermo-plastic resins:

i. Cellulose derivatives: Cellulose easter, Cellulose ethers
ii. Acrylic resins
iii. Vinyl resins
iv. Styrene plastics (e.g., polystyrene)
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Fabrication of plastics:
The various synthetics stated above do not possess all the properties
generally required in the finished plastic articles and have only a limited
range of application. For the purpose of imparting desired properties and
for their fabrication or moulding and shaping, the moulding compounds
are added. Accordingly the plastic falls into two categories:
Simple plastics:
These are composed of one polymer, as in the case of organic glass,
which consists of one synthetic resin such as methyl metacrylate. They are
transparent and possess high optical properties.
Complex plastics
These contain one polymer and other compounds. The compounds are
added to simple plastics to impart the products the required properties.
These components are:
i. Fillers:
 added to moulding powder,
 to increase the bulk and lower the cost;
 reduce shrinkage during moulding;
 impart mouldability;
 also impart some desired properties to plastics.
Examples: cotton and wood fabric (fibrous fillers), wood

powder (powdery fillers), powdered quartz, glass, cloth and
wooden veneers (flaky or sheet like fillers).
ii. Plasticizers:
 impart plasticity or softness;
 They are non-volatile oily organic liquids;
Examples: tri-acetene, tri-butyl phosphate.
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iii. Pigments:
Organic dyes and imneral pigments are added to plastics to
impart a desired color;
iv. Oiling agents:

Oiling agents such as stearine, graphite, parafin, wax, etc. to
prevent plastics from sticking to the mould.
v. Hardeners:
 Control plasticity during moulding;
 also increase the hardness of resins.
vi. Foaming agents:

to produce porous articles blowing agents such as sodium
bicarbonate, amonium carbonate are used.
Fabrication of plastics:
It depends on the type of the plastics (i.e., thermo or thermo-setting) and

shape of the finished products.
i. Blowing:
 similar to that used in glass industry;
 thermo-plastic is softened and then blown by air or
steam into a closed mould.
 Jars, toys, bottles are cast by this method.
ii. Casting:
 Molten resin is poured in moulds and cured at about
700C for several days at low pressure;
 most suitable for cellular plastics.
iii. Calendering (ironing):

 Plastics materials are made to pass through revolving
cylinders.
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 While passing through first three heated cylinders set,
the plastic is turned into thin sheets;
 It is cooled while passing through the 4th cylinder.
 Rollers may be provided with artistic design so as to
reflect them on the finished product.
 If cloth is to be given plastic coating, it is inserted along
with plastic material between the second and third
heated rollers.
iv. Laminating:
This process is adopted for thermo-setting plastics. Paper
sheets, asbestos, et. Are applied with plastic materials to
form plastic laminates. Having pleasing finished surface. Used
for ornamental and decorative purposes.
v. Moulding:
It is the most common method for the fabrication of plastic
articles. Various common processes are:
a. Compression moulding
b. Cold moulding
c. Injection moulding
d. Extrusion moulding
e. Jet moulding
f. Transfer moulding
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Properties of plastics:
General properties:
 possesses a wide range of mechanical properties from soft, highly
tensile and extensible products to hard, rigid and brittle materials;
 properties are usually associated with temperature; having higher
coefficient of expansion under heat;
 having comparatively lower density than metals and hence they are
light;
 having low thermal conductivity;
 good electrical insulators.
Engineering properties:
 Compressive and tensile strength of plastics is high, especially those

of laminated plastics, moulded and impregnated fibrous plastics;
 Good workability, by virtue of which plastics products can be
manufactured to the required shape (e.g., toys, bottles, sheets,
yarns, woven cloths, etc.), by any of the processes, say, casting,
moulding, and extrusion.
 Low wear and tear:
withstand wear and tear due to abrasion satisfactorily;
 Appearance and transparency
 Gluing of plastics products:
the surfaces of plastic products allow easy and strong

gluing of lasting nature; thus provides convenience in fabrication of
plastic products;
 Adhesiveness:
plastic glues and adhesives are now becoming very
common. They are not affected by fungi, moisture and other climatic
conditions; they form a very thin film of strong, durable and covering
capacity;
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 Chemical stability:
exhibit satisfactory resistance to the corrosive and solvent
actions of acids, alkalies and salt solutions;
 Water proofing quality:
plastics laminae could be made waterproof, which can be used
as paddings for forming air-tight and gas-proof joints;
Use in building construction:
Flooring:
 versatile use;
 thermo plastics or polyvinyls are used for floors in the form of tiles
and sheets;
Roofing:
 Corrugated sheets of phenolic-resin-bonded paper laminates
manufactured in rather darker shades;
 provides light, strong and corrosive resistant opaque roofing
materials;
Pipes:
PVC pipes;
Decorative laminated plastic veneers:

versatile sheets marketed under tradenames of formica,
sunmica, sungloss, decolum, etc.
Concrete shuttering:
Moulds and forms of FRP (fiberglass-reinforced-plastics) give
the casting concrete shapes of high quality;
Doors and window frames:

Lightweight flush doors and window frames are widely used
from FRP;
Internal partitions and wall paneling:

FRP used widely for this purpose;
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Temporary shelters:
FRP used;
Water storage tanks:

FRP water storage tanks are found to be superior to steel and
concrete tanks; lightweight, durable, heat resistant, etc.
Furniture item:
FRP chairs, benches and tables are being used for auditorium,
hotels, schools, theatre, etc.
Fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP):
 Glass fibers are used alone or in combination with cotton or jute

fabric to prepare fiberglass reinforced plastic products with
synthetic resins like phenol formaldehyde.
 The resins are dissolved in alcohol and the glass cloth/fiber is
impregnated with the resin solution. They are then subjected to
heat and pressure.
 The panels thus produced are strong, durable and make excellent
heat insulating wall coverings.
 Glass-fibers and synthetic resins bonded together by a suitable
synthetic adhesive yield glass-veneers like wood-veneers, which can
be used in place wood-veneers.
In FRP, glass-fibers provide stiffness and strength, while resin provides a

matrix to transfer load to the fibers.
Aesthetic appearance, corrosion resistance, durability, dimensional

stability, light transmission, lightweight, etc. are the favorable properties
for FRP, which make it popular.

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Plastics

 an organic material with high molecular weight;

 basically an organic substance prepared from natural or synthetic

Basically two types of plastics:

 this variety requires great pressure and a momentarily heated

 this variety hardens due to a physical change occurring in the

Various materials for plastics:

Common thermo-setting resins:

Common thermo-plastic resins:

Examples: cotton and wood fabric (fibrous fillers), wood

Examples: tri-acetene, tri-butyl phosphate.

iv. Oiling agents:

vi. Foaming agents:

It depends on the type of the plastics (i.e., thermo or thermo-setting) and

iii. Calendering (ironing):

 Compressive and tensile strength of plastics is high, especially those

 Gluing of plastics products:

the surfaces of plastic products allow easy and strong

Use in building construction:

Decorative laminated plastic veneers:

Doors and window frames:

Internal partitions and wall paneling:

Water storage tanks:

Fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP):

 Glass fibers are used alone or in combination with cotton or jute

In FRP, glass-fibers provide stiffness and strength, while resin provides a

Aesthetic appearance, corrosion resistance, durability, dimensional

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