Classification or types of Plastics Materials, Properties and their Composition Chemistry

 

Classification of plastics materials, properties, and  their composition  chemistry

This Topic (Classification of plastics materials, properties and  their composition  chemistry) will cover the following questions to provide explanatory answers

·         Properties of plastic

·         Plastic definition

·         Chemical composition of plastic

·         Types of plastics

·         What is plastic made from

·         Nanotechnology and Plastics

·         Chemistry of plastic

·         10 different types of plastic

·         Types of plastic and their uses

·         Classification of plastics 

·         Plastic materials list

·         Types of plastics and their properties

·         Plastic recycling

·         High technical plastic

Introduction to plastic

·         Plastic is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic compounds that are malleable and therefore can be molded into solid objects.

·         Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic and most commonly derived from petrochemicals. 

Types of plastic and plastic materials

• Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Acrylic. Strong and transparent, acrylic offers the same clarity as glass without the risk of shattering. ...
• Polypropylene. From temporary signage to printed advertising banners, polypropylene is a versatile plastic with a myriad of uses
• PVC.
•  Corflute.
• Nylon.
• High Impact Polystyrene.

 

Plastics are generally classified by the chemical structure of the polymer's backbone and side chains; some important groups in these classifications include:

• Acrylics
• Polyesters
• Silicones
• Polyurethanes
• Halogenated plastics

Explanation of above-mentioned classification

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)    

It is a terpolymer produced by polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. Most applications can withstand temperatures of between -20–80°C (-4–176°F). Common applications include electronic equipment cases such as computer monitors, printers, and keyboards as well as a drainage pipe.

Polyester (PES)

The Polyester can occur naturally, for example in the cutin of plant cuticles, and synthetically through step-growth polymerization such as polybutyrate. Natural polyesters and a few synthetic ones are biodegradable, but most synthetic polyesters are not. Polyesters can be found extensively in the clothing and textile industries.

Polyethylene (PE)

The Polyethylene is the most common plastic with an annual global production of approximately 80-million tons. It is mainly used in the packaging sector for plastic bags, plastic films, and containers (including bottles).

 

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)

 

The High-density polyethylene also known as polyethylene high-density (PEHD) is a thermoplastic derived from petroleum with a high strength-to-density ratio. It used in detergent bottles, milk jugs, plastic bottles, corrosion-resistant piping, geomembranes, and plastic lumber. When used for pipes, it is sometimes called alkaline or polythene.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

The Low-density polyethylene is a thermoplastic made from the monomer ethylene. First produced in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI),  its implementation remains widespread in outdoor furniture, siding, floor tiles, and packaging despite competition from modern polymer

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

The Polyethylene terephthalate commonly abbreviated PET or PETE is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family. It is used in fibers for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, thermoforming for manufacturing, and in combination with glass fiber for engineering resins. Brand names include Dacron, Terylene, or Lavsan.

Polyurethane (PUR and PU) 

The Polyurethane (PUR and PU) is a polymer composed of organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. Most polyurethanes is thermosetting polymers that do not melt when heated, common applications include: cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, and printing rollers. It is the most commonly used plastic in automobiles.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 

The Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is also known as PVC, polyvinyl or vinyl and is the world’s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is available in either a rigid (RPVC) or flexible form. Common applications for RPVC include plumbing pipes, gutters, doors, window frames, and bank or membership cards.

 

Chemical recycling of Plastics

Advanced recycling, also called “chemical recycling,” refers to several different processes that use existing and emerging technologies that return post-use plastics to their basic chemical building blocks for creating a versatile mix of new plastics, chemicals, fuels, and other products.

These outputs include:

• Virgin Like Plastics
• Specialty Chemicals
• Basic building blocks (monomers)
• Chemical feedstocks (naphtha)
• Fuels
• Other products (e.g. waxes)

 

Three primary categories of advanced recycling technologies

There are three primary categories of advanced recycling technologies that process used plastics into new plastics and products.

• Purification – Used plastic is dissolved in a solvent to remove additives, resulting in a purified near virgin plastic.
• Decomposition/depolymerization – The molecular bonds of used plastic is broken, resulting in molecules (monomers) from which plastics are made.
• Conversion – The molecular bonds of used plastic is broken and recombined, resulting in hydrocarbons and chemical feedstocks similar to products made by petroleum

Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastic:

Advantages of plastic are
·         They can be easily molded and have excellent finishing.
·         They possess very good strength and toughness. They possess good shock absorption capacity.
·         Advantages of plastic are corrosion resistant and chemically inert
·       They have low thermal expansion of co-efficient and possess good thermal and electrical insulating property.
·         Advantages of plastic are Very cheap to make.  Durability
·         Chemical resistance 

Disadvantages of Plastic
·         Plastic is a nonrenewable resources.  Plastic is softness.
·         Causes CANCER
·         Disadvantage of plastics are embrittlement at low temperature.
·         Disadvantage of plastics are deformation under load.
·         Disadvantage of plastics are low heat resistant and poor ductility.
·         Disadvantage of plastics are combustibility.

High technical plastic:

Plastic solar cell

An organic solar cell (OSC) or plastic solar cell is a type of photovoltaic that uses organic electronics, a branch of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers or small organic molecules, for light absorption and charge transport to produce electricity from sunlight by the photovoltaic effect.

Nanotechnology and Plastics

Nanotechnology can also be used to create highly advanced plastics and composites with enhanced strength, heat or UV resistance, electrical conductivity. One of the most notable instances of plastic nanotechnology use involves the construction of plastic nanotubes for the conduction of electricity. These tubes are as conductive as copper but are far more flexible, lightweight, and durable.

Incineration
·   Incineration with energy recovery is one of several waste-to-energy technologies such as gasification, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion. While incineration and gasification technologies are similar in principle, the energy produced from incineration is high-temperature heat whereas combustible gas is often the main energy product from gasification. Incineration and gasification may also be implemented without energy and materials recovery.

·         Two of the primary advantages of incineration are that waste volumes are reduced by an estimated 80-95% and the need for land and landfill space is greatly reduced For urban areas, this can be especially important, as urban land is often at a premium.

·         Waste incineration plants can be located near where waste is generated, which decreases the costs and energy associated with transporting waste Through Waste-to-Energy processes, incineration can be used to produce electricity and the heat that can be used to power and heat nearby buildings, and the ash produced can be used by the construction industry

Disadvantages:
·         It is Expensive. The installation of an incineration plant is an expensive process.
·         Pollutes the Environment. Incinerators produce smoke during the burning process.
·         Damaging Public Health.
·         The Possibility of Long-term Problems.
·         Ash Waste Can Potentially Harm People and the Environment.

Advantages:
·         Elimination of groundwater contamination.
·         Energy generation.
·         Lower carbon footprint.
·         Incinerators have emissions treatment systems to eliminate pollutants from exhaust air.
·         It has a computerized monitoring system.
 

Plastic recycling:

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing the material into useful products. The majority of plastic is non-biodegradable; recycling is a part of global efforts to reduce plastic in the waste stream, especially the approximately 8 million metric tonnes of waste plastic that enters the Earth's ocean every year.

• Step 1: Collection.
• Step 2: Sorting.
• Step 3: Washing.
• Step 4: Resizing.
• Step 5: Identification and separation of plastics.
• Step 6: Compounding.

Recycling separation technique:
·         Several techniques applied to recycling plastic.
·         Sink float separations.
·         Electrostatic separation
·         Dry separation

Career Prospects in Plastic Engineering and Technology

There is vast scope for engineers in areas such as polymer technology, textile technology, communication, computers, automobile, thermal engineering, and so on. There are lots of job opportunities available in Pakistan as well as in foreign countries.

·         The plastics and polymer the industry is growing at fast.

·  The transport sector, household appliances, and goods, packaging and electricity, and telecommunication are the major areas, which demand plastics, hence are creating employment opportunities in this sector. For instance, synthetic rubber is now in great demand.

·         In the public sector, plastics engineers/technologists and technicians may find employment in:

·         The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

·         Oil and Natural Gas Commission, and Oil Laboratories

·         Petrochemicals Engineering Plants

·         Polymers Corporations of different states

Note: Writing of This article Title “Classification of plastics materials, properties and composition in chemistry” credit goes to MPhil scholar in chemistry name Munaza shams from GCWUF department of chemistry, Faisalabad Pakistan.

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