Plastics: An Economical Synthesis of Aesthetics and Function

PLASTICS
“An economical synthesis of aesthetics and function”

Introduction
 Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semi
synthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial
products.

 Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular weight, and may contain other
substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs.

 The word derives from the Greek (plastikos), "fit for molding", ]. It refers to
their malleability, or plasticity during manufacture, that allows them to be cast,
pressed, into an enormous variety of shapes—such as films, fibers, plates,
tubes, bottles, boxes, and much more.

 India produces about 4.00 lac of tonnes per year.

Characteristics of Plastics
Plastics are divided into two distinct groups: thermoplastics and
thermosets
.
Thermoplastic-meaning that once the plastic is formed it can be heated and reformed
repeatedly. e.g-Celluloid is a thermoplastic. This property allows for easy processing and
facilitates recycling.

Thermosets- can not be remelted. Once these plastics are formed, reheating will cause
thematerialto decompose rather than melt. Eg.- Bakelite, poly phenol formaldehyde, is a
thermoset.

Plastics can be very resistant to chemicals.-some of solvents easily dissolve
plastics, other plastics provide safe, non-breakable packages for aggressive solvents.

Plastics can be both thermal and electrical insulator

Thermal resistance is evident in the kitchen with plastic pot and pan handles,
coffee pot handles, the foam core of refrigerators and freezers, insulated cups,
coolers and microwave cookware.
The thermal jackets that many skiers wear is made of polypropylene and the
fiberfill in many winter jackets is acrylic or polyester.

Generally, plastics are very light in weight with varying degrees of strength.

Applications of plastics from toys to the frame structure of buildings, or from delicate nylon
fiber , which is used in bulletproof vests.

•Plastics can be classified by their chemical structure, namely the molecular units that make up
the polymer's backbone and side chains.

•Common thermoplastics range from 20,000 to 500,000 in molecular mass, while thermosets
are assumed to have infinite molecular weight.

• These chains are made up of many repeating molecular units, known as "repeat units", derived
from "monomers"; each polymer chain will have several thousand repeat units.

•The vast majority of plastics are composed of polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or with
oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine or sulfur in the backbone.

•Some plastics are partially crystalline and partially amorphous in molecular structure.

•semi-crystalline plastics include polyethylene, polypropylene, poly (vinyl chloride),
polyamides (nylons), polyesters and some polyurethanes.

•Many plastics are completely amorphous, such as polystyrene and its copolymers, poly (methyl
methacrylate), and all thermosets.

History
 The history of manufactured plastics goes back more than 100 years.Their
usage over the past century has enabled society to make huge technological
advances. Although plastics are thought of as a modern invention, there have
always been "natural polymers" such as amber, tortoise shells and animal
horns.

 Alexander Parkes unveiled the first man-made plastic at the 1862 Great
International Exhibition in London. This material -- which was dubbed
Parkesine, now called celluloid -- was an organic material derived from
cellulose that once heated could be molded but retained its shape when cooled.
Parkes claimed that this new material could do anything that rubber was
capable of, yet at a lower price. He had discovered a material that could be
transparent as well as carved into thousands of different shapes.

 In 1907, chemist Leo Hendrik Baekland, while striving to produce a synthetic
varnish, stumbled upon the formula for a new synthetic polymer originating
from coal tar. He subsequently named the new substance "Bakelite." Bakelite,
once formed, could not be melted. Because of its properties as an electrical
insulator Bakelite was used in the production of high-tech objects including
cameras and telephones.

 Plastics served as substitutes for wood, glass and metal during the hardship times of World War’s I &
II. After World War II, newer plastics, such as polyurethane, polyester, silicones, polypropylene, and
polycarbonate joined polystyrene and PVC in widespread applications.

 From daily tasks to our most unusual needs, plastics have increasingly provided the performance
characteristics that fulfill consumer needs at all levels. Plastics are used in such a wide range of
applications because they are uniquely capable of offering many different properties.

Raw materials
Basic raw materials used in making of plastics are:

1. Petroleum
2. Lime stone
3. Salt
4. Sulphur
5. Cellulose from cotton and wood
6. Air
7. Water
8. Oil and natural gas.

Most plastics are made from crude oil (coal and natural gas can also be
used), Crude oil is found deep underground and by drilling deep down into
the rock oil is brought to the surface and then shipped or piped from the
producing regions to refineries .

The crude oil is then refined to make petrol, diesel and motor oils for cars
and lorries. Out of every 100 litres of oil refined, 10 litres are used to make
plastic.

To make plastics, the atoms that make up oil are pulled apart and separated.
They are then joined
back together in long thin chains of atoms called polymers. By changing the
order of
the atoms in the polymer chains, different kinds of plastic can be produced.

Plastic is then moulded into thousands of different shapes. There are three
main ways of
moulding plastic, by injection, heat or being blown. .

Process showing manufacturing of plastics from crude oil

 Casting-mould of different materials such as lead –antimony ,sheet metal, clay
or POP are used to cast plastics into required shape without application of any
pressure.

 Extrusion - Plastic pellets or granules are first loaded into
a hopper, then fed into an extruder, which is a long heated
chamber, through which it is moved by the action of a
continuously revolving screw. The plastic is melted by a
combination of heat from the mechanical work done and
by the hot sidewall metal. At the end of the extruder, the
molten plastic is forced out through a small opening or die
to shape the finished product. As the plastic product
extrudes from the die, it is cooled by air. water used for
object and tubes.

 Injection molding - In injection molding, plastic pellets or granules are fed
from a hopper into a heating chamber. An extrusion screw pushes the plastic
through the heating chamber, where the material is softened into a fluid state.
Again, mechanical work and hot sidewalls melt the plastic. At the end of this
chamber, the resin is forced at high pressure into a cooled, closed mold. Once
the plastic cools to a solid state, the mold opens and the finished part is
ejected.

 Blow molding - Blow molding is a process used in conjunction with
extrusion or injection molding. A chilled mold is clamped around the tube
and compressed air is then blown into the tube to conform the tube to the
interior of the mold and to solidify the stretched tube.
 Overall, the goal is to produce a uniform melt, form it into a tube with the
desired cross section and blow it into the exact shape of the product. This
process is used to manufacture hollow plastic products and its principal
advantage is its ability to produce hollow shapes without having to join
two or more separately injection molded parts

Types of plastics
1. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE)

2. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

3. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

4. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

5. Polypropylene (PP)

6. Polystyrene (PS)

7. Thermosets

8. Thermoplastics

9. Elastomers

Thermosets

Thermosets are hard and have a very tight-
meshed, branched molecular structure.

Curing proceeds during shaping, after which it is
no longer possible to shape the material by
heating.

Further shaping may then only be performed by
machining.

Thermosets are used, for example, to make light
switches.

Elastomers

While elastomers also have a crosslinked
structure, they have a looser mesh than
thermosets, giving rise to a degree of
elasticity.

Once shaped, elastomers also cannot be
reshaped by heating.

Elastomers are used, for example, to
produce automobile tires.

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics have a linear or branched
molecular structure which determines their
strength and thermal behavior; they are
flexible at ordinary temperatures.

At approx. 120 - 180 C, thermoplastics
become a pasty/liquid mass. The service
temperature range for thermoplastics is
considerably lower than that for thermosets.

The thermoplastics polyethylene (PE),
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene
(PS) are used, for example, in packaging
applications.

 PETE


Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE) is hard, tough and
has good gas and moisture barrier properties making it ideal for
carbonated beverage applications and other food containers.
its high use temperature allows it to be used in
applications such as heatable pre-prepared food trays. its heat
resistance and microwave transparency make it an ideal heatable
film.

 HDPE

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used for many
packaging applications because it provides excellent
moisture barrier properties and chemical resistance.

 General uses of HDPE include injection-molded
beverage cases, bread trays as well as films for grocery
sacks and bottles for beverages and household chemicals.

 PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) has excellent transparency, chemical
resistance, long term stability, good weatherability and stable
electrical properties.
 Pvc products can be broadly divided into rigid and flexible
materials.
 Rigid applications are concentrated in construction markets,
which includes pipe and fittings, siding, rigid flooring and
windows.
 PVC's success in pipe and fittings can be attributed to its
resistance to most chemicals, imperviousness to attack by
bacteria or micro-organisms, corrosion resistance and strength.
 It is used in wire and cable sheathing, insulation, film and sheet,
flexible floor coverings, synthetic leather products, coatings,
blood bags, and medical tubing.

 LDPE
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is predominantly used in
film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and transparency.
LDPE has a low melting point making it popular for use in
applications where heat sealing is necessary. LDPE is also used to
manufacture some flexible lids and bottles, and it is widely used
in wire and cable applications for its stable electrical properties
and processing characteristics.

 PP
Polypropylene (PP) has excellent chemical resistance and is
commonly used in packaging. It has a high melting point,
making it ideal for hot fill liquids. Polypropylene is found in
everything from flexible and rigid packaging to fibers for fabrics
and carpets and large molded parts for automotive and consumer
products.

 PS

Polystyrene (PS) is a versatile plastic that can be
rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is
clear, hard and brittle. Its clarity allows it to be
used when transparency is important, as in medical
and food packaging, in laboratory ware, and in certain
electronic uses. Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) is commonly
extruded into sheet for thermoforming into trays for meats,
fish and cheeses and into containers such as egg crates. EPS
is also directly formed into cups and tubs for dry foods such
as dehydrated soups. Both foamed sheet and molded tubs are
used extensively in take-out restaurants for their lightweight,
stiffness and excellent thermal insulation.

Other Plastics
There are many other plastics beyond the most common ones described above, for
example nylon, ABS copolymers, polyurethanes, and polymethyl methacrylate.

Environmental issues related with plastics
 Recycling of Plastics: It has been the most important issue today scenario
because most of the plastics are non Bio-Degradable in nature .

 Plastics are durable and degrade very slowly. In some cases, burning
plastic can release toxic fumes. Also, the manufacturing of plastics
often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants.

 Prior to the ban on the use of CFCs in extrusion of polystyrene (and
general use, except in life-critical fire suppression systems; see
Montreal Protocol), the production of polystyrene contributed to the
depletion of the ozone layer; however, non-CFCs are currently used
in the extrusion process.

 Thermoplastics can be remelted and reused, and thermoset plastics
can be ground up and used as filler, though the purity of the material
tends to degrade with each reuse cycle. There are methods by which
plastics can be broken back down to a feedstock state.

Air pollution:

Some people try to dispose of unwanted plastic items by burning them on
bonfires in the garden. However, burning plastics can create lots of
choking black smoke which can pollute the air we breath. In a modern
EfW incinerator plastics can be burnt without causing pollution as the
smoke is filtered and cleaned before it is released into the air.

Uses of plastics
Common uses of plastics

 Plastics' versatility allow them to be used in everything from car parts to
building construction. Plastics help make your life easier and better.

 Plastic is shatter-resistant. In each case, plastics help make your life
easier, healthier and safer.

 They help major appliances - like refrigerators or dishwashers - resist
corrosion, last longer and operate more efficiently.

 It helps save energy. In fact, plastics can play a significant role in energy
conservation. Plastic bag manufacture generates less greenhouse gas and
uses less fresh water than does paper bag manufacture.

Plastics as a Building Material
Today, plastics materials are so widely used in
the building industry that it would be difficult to
envisage the construction of any building without
them.

The Building and Construction sector -currently
second largest user of plastics in Europe -is
expected still to grow substantially in the future.

Plastics have over the years become a
material of choice for achieving economic and
environmental balance between technological
challenges and functional design.

Plastics in Building and Construction applications

 plastics for decorative laminates
 plastics for drainage and irrigation pipes
 plastics for drinking water pipes
 plastics for electrics and electronics
 plastics for fittings
 plastics for floor and wall coverings
 plastics for insulation materials
 plastics for roofing
 plastics for sewer pipes and ducts
 plastics for waterproofing
 plastics for window and door profiles

Features and Advantages in Building and
Construction

 durability, corrosion resistant
 cold, heat and sound insulation for energy saving and noise
reduction
 cost efficiency
 light weight
 maintenance free
 innovation applications with unlimited choice of surface, colours
and materials for creative design
 recyclability

Building with plastics saves energy and money, and
protects the environment
 Plastics are a very important material in the building sector. In
fact, roughly 20% of all the plastics used are used for products in
the building industry. And after packaging, the building industry
is the second highest user of plastics.

 Plastics are also very light and they require very little maintenance
(they do not rust or rot). This makes them ideal for the construction
industry.

 Housing is the second biggest consumer of energy. Plastics make great
insulators and sealers which helps enormously in improving energy
efficiency and reducing harmful C02 emissions.

Uses of plastics in Architecture
 On the basis of classification of plastics

Polyethylene Terephthalate

Because of its heat resistance capability & microwave transparency ,it is being used
in roof making purposes

Polypropylene

These are though materials used in fatigue resistance, chemical resistance
and electrical insulation properties.used as storage tanks,switches & seal of
doors & windows

High Density Polyethylene

High density polyethylene sheets are similar to polypropylene sheets in terms
of usability. It has a lower melting point & heats more uniformly.

Used for storage tanks, industrial containers, fish boxes etc.
Due to its flexibility & leak proof joints it is used over rough terrain.

Polystyrene
 The insulating ability of polystyrene
 prevents heat generated inside buildings
makes it an ideal material for energy
efficient building products particularly being soaked into the ground and is
when combined with its other properties: particularly effective in improving the
performance of under floor heating
 Sound absorbency which increases sound systems
insulation particularly when used in
 In floor slab the system is completed by
combination with harder building
materials such as concrete; the placement of reinforcing bars
between the blocks in both directions,
 EPS is non toxic, does not contain CFCs, reinforcing mesh above the blocks and
can be 100% recycled, Versatile in that it concrete to fill the channels, encapsulate
can be moulded, shaped and cut into the rebar and mesh to form the structure
virtually any shape or pattern of the floor slab.
 Fire-retardant. All polystyrene used in
building products is fire-retardant and will
not propagate or contribute to the spread
of fire

Low Density Polyethylene

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is predominantly used in
film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and transparency.
LDPE has a low melting point making it popular for use in
applications where heat sealing is necessary.
LDPE is also used to
manufacture some flexible lids and bottles

Sprayed Polyurethane

It is a type of plastic which is used on the roof to prevent it from leaking

Thermoset plastics

Durable Scratch resistant .
High hardness ,Antibacterial ,Anti-UV function
,antiflammability .
Ceramic feel Soft closing feature

Thermoplastics

Advanced framing techniques
Pultruded Glass Reinforced
create structurally sound buildings.
Polyester
Insulation material to improve
thermal resistance or R-value

Elastomers

Mainly used in door, window and car to give airproof properties

EPDM Sealing
Strip

PVC one the major components in Building construction

PVC Properties for a Building
 Moisture proofing,corrosion-resistance and free from
deformation;
 Multiple chamber system design ensure thermal and
sound insulation,fire retardance.
 Galvanized steel reinforcement enhance high strength
and stability for the window system
 Easy assemble, green environmental protection
 Glazing beads in various size are available to
accommodate the different thickness of glass.

Roofline products
PVC does not warp or rot and is highly resistant, making it ideal for roofline
drainage, cladding, fascias, soffits and bargeboards

GRP - Glass Reinforced Plastic
 GRP is a very high strength composite material made from plastic reinforced
by fine fibres / strands of glass

•Key Advantages;
* Design flexibility - The material can be moulded into virtually any shape;
* High strength impact resistant;
* Vast range of RAL colours and textures available;
* Ideal for internal and external use (material is water proof);
* Fire retardant chemicals can be incorporated into the material;
* Speed of installation;
* Can be cost effective when manufactured in volume.

Plastics: An Economical Synthesis of Aesthetics and Function

On the basis of applications in buildings

plastics for decorative laminates

High Pressure Laminates for flooring & Counterparts

Plastics for drainage and irrigation pipes
plastics for drinking water pipes

Plastics for electrics and
electronics & fittings

plastics for insulation materials
Theses types of houses are:
Fire-resistant, and wind-
resistant.
Also it is highly sound
resistant, making for a
peaceful home in even
the busiest areas.

Foam insulation form

plastics for window and door profiles

Plastic Panels Plastic Panels for the Dairy Industry
for the Car Wash Industry

Examples

walls of polycarbonate divide and define spaces in both houses. The degree of opacity
are used to vary the effects of light and shadow.

216 Alabama and 1603 Random Road
Newyork,U.S.A
Architect: Dan Rockhill, Kent Spreckelmeyer, Studio
804, Newyork,U.S.A
Lexan (polycarbonate) from GE Structural Plastics

The data centre at YouBet.com is enclosed by YouBet.com
curved acrylic panels fastened to the stud wall San Fernando Valley, Calif.
with hat channel clips (below). Workstations Architect: Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (Lorcan
O’Herlihy,
(right) are enclosed with single sheets of heated Plastics suppliers: Hastings Plastics
and bent acrylic (workstations); Fisher Lumber (curved wall);
Crommie Construction
(contractor)

By using green translucent polycarbonate on the exterior layer of
the facade and white translucent polycarbonate on the interior, the
effect changes from inside to outside. Green Glen,San Francisco,
Calif.Architect: Pfau Architecture
(Peter Pfau, principal)

IBM E-business Center for Innovation
Chicago
Architect: Design Office (George Yu and Jason King, principals), Los
Angeles; Hellmuth, Obata, & Kassabaum, Chicago .Northwestern
Terrazzo & Flooring (acrylic terrazzo)

Acrylic terrazzo flooring (middle
left, bottom left) gives depth to floor
surfaces and reflects light
throughout the space. Fiber resin
coat closets and a reception desk
enclosure, made by same
process, yield different effects when
completed.

“The creative possibilities are endless."

Plastics: An Economical Synthesis of Aesthetics and Function

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Plastics: An Economical Synthesis of Aesthetics and Function