Having the right material for every job is essential. Thermo Plastics benefit from the capacity to be heated many times. When heated these materials become soft and malleable. Upon cooling, these polymers harden but are still able to be reshaped. This facility arises from the lack of links horizontally between the polymer chains and can be used for a wide variety of applications.
Many well known substances are forms of thermoplastic. These include uPVC (polyvinyl chloride), nylon (polyamide), polystyrene, polypropylene and acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate). Household brands such as Perspex, Plexiglas and Lucite are examples of acrylics that are used as glass substitutes in applications such as aircraft windows, aquariums and motorcycle crash-helmet visors.
The amalgams of camphor and nitrocellulose, first formed in 1856, were deemed as being the original thermoplastics and named celluloid. Film makers and photographers used only celluloid prior to the arrival of acetate during the 1950s. Nowadays, it is more likely to find celluloid being used to manufacture table tennis balls, accordions, guitar picks or other musical gadgets.
The founding father of modern plastic production is generally acknowledged to be Alexander Parkes. The first material used to bulk form objects was the patented water proofer for clothing, Parkesine. Flexibility, toughness, low production costs as well as being water-, oil- and acid-resistant meant that celluloid was enormously successful at the end of the 19th Century for the construction of mass produced merchandise such as billiard balls, piano keys, brush handles, combs and spectacle frames.
These days, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is more frequently used instead of celluloid in goods including toys, telephones and appliances. Another plastic with widespread applications is nylon. It can be used as an option to silk when producing stockings, parachutes and bullet-proof vests. Musical strings, carpets and ropes can be prepared out of nylon fibres. Bulk forms of nylon can be moulded into machine screws, gear wheels and power tool casings.
Polybenzimidazole (PBI) is one more synthetic fibre boasting excellent stiffness, chemical and thermal stability. PBI is ideal for items requiring an extremely high melting point and is functional for fabrics used in aircraft walls, protective clothing and the membranes in fuel cells. PTFE (Polytetraflouroethylene) is more regularly known by the trademarked name of Teflon as cookware's non-stick coating.
The range of Plastics is an intrinsic part of the fibre of the modern world. Whether to be found as a building block of contemporary life as a Lego brick, or as lightweight, durable spectacle lenses, these polymers change the way you see your world today. Their ability to be recycled is another important aspect in the search for eco-friendly materials.
Many well known substances are forms of thermoplastic. These include uPVC (polyvinyl chloride), nylon (polyamide), polystyrene, polypropylene and acrylic (polymethyl methacrylate). Household brands such as Perspex, Plexiglas and Lucite are examples of acrylics that are used as glass substitutes in applications such as aircraft windows, aquariums and motorcycle crash-helmet visors.
The amalgams of camphor and nitrocellulose, first formed in 1856, were deemed as being the original thermoplastics and named celluloid. Film makers and photographers used only celluloid prior to the arrival of acetate during the 1950s. Nowadays, it is more likely to find celluloid being used to manufacture table tennis balls, accordions, guitar picks or other musical gadgets.
The founding father of modern plastic production is generally acknowledged to be Alexander Parkes. The first material used to bulk form objects was the patented water proofer for clothing, Parkesine. Flexibility, toughness, low production costs as well as being water-, oil- and acid-resistant meant that celluloid was enormously successful at the end of the 19th Century for the construction of mass produced merchandise such as billiard balls, piano keys, brush handles, combs and spectacle frames.
These days, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is more frequently used instead of celluloid in goods including toys, telephones and appliances. Another plastic with widespread applications is nylon. It can be used as an option to silk when producing stockings, parachutes and bullet-proof vests. Musical strings, carpets and ropes can be prepared out of nylon fibres. Bulk forms of nylon can be moulded into machine screws, gear wheels and power tool casings.
Polybenzimidazole (PBI) is one more synthetic fibre boasting excellent stiffness, chemical and thermal stability. PBI is ideal for items requiring an extremely high melting point and is functional for fabrics used in aircraft walls, protective clothing and the membranes in fuel cells. PTFE (Polytetraflouroethylene) is more regularly known by the trademarked name of Teflon as cookware's non-stick coating.
The range of Plastics is an intrinsic part of the fibre of the modern world. Whether to be found as a building block of contemporary life as a Lego brick, or as lightweight, durable spectacle lenses, these polymers change the way you see your world today. Their ability to be recycled is another important aspect in the search for eco-friendly materials.
About the Author:
Genevive B. Mata has over 20 years of professional sales experience, 10 of them directly in the plastic pallets and materials handling industry. On her spare time she works on applied-sustainability projects. If you are interested in heavy duty plastic pallets, she suggests you check out her friends www.ptm.com/global.