Thermoplastics are made of resins that are first heated to
melt them down, then molded into the desired shape and cooled to form the final plastic
products. One of their main advantages is that there are many kinds of resins
that can be made into plastics, and each resin has different properties that
serve the needs of the final product they are made into. Common applications
include FAR rated plastic, knife sheath plastic, airplane plastics, etc. Here
are some common thermoplastic materials and their applications:
Acrylic Plastics
Acrylic is highly transparent and durable at the same time,
making it a perfect replacement for glass which is brittle and can pose a risk
when shattered. Acrylic products are shatterproof and breakproof, so they last
long and can withstand heavy pressure. Acrylic plastics are used to make
looking glass, building window glass, car windshields, airplane window glass,
submarine glass, and car headlamp lenses.
Polycarbonate
Polycarbonates are tough, stable and heat resistant, making
them perfect for a wide range of applications such as knife sheath plastic,
molding plastic, appliance covering, automobile parts and many more. Although
they are heat and flame resistant, it is recommended not to expose them to
direct sunlight for a long time to prevent the composite from weakening.
Polypropylene
It has more applications, both industrial and commercial,
than any other variant of thermoplastic. They are highly modifiable in terms of
strength and durability, hence they are used for making plastic containers, file
folders, storage boxes, heat resistant coatings, medical equipment exteriors,
electric cable insulation, and piping systems. They are quite resistant to heat
and cold and are best suited for little higher than normal temperature
applications.
Polyethylene
Just like polypropylene, polyethylene is also widely useful
in a variety of applications. They carry similar properties of polypropylene,
but they have less durability and are hence cheaper. They are highly chemically
resistant and very tough and can be made into almost anything from FAR rated
plastics to garbage bags to tough, rigid pipes and machine parts. The density
of polyethylene can be readily adjusted, quickly turning them hard to soft and
vice versa during the thermoforming process.
Polyvinyl Chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC, is a versatile
thermoplastic that can be made either very soft and thin like a film, or hard
and rigid like a tile. This gives them crucial places in diverse applications
such as manufacturing of appliance exteriors, drain pipes, plumbing pipes,
electrical cable pipes, insulating material, inflatable balloons and inflatable
signs, pool toys, rubber toys and many more.
Custom-Made Thermoplastic
While these are generalized thermoplastic variants, many
companies make their own custom thermoplastic that caters to specific
applications such as aircraft interior materials, fireproof materials, plastics
for cleanroom wall linings, high strength custom thermoplastic and so on. They
use their own composite resins for the same, and achieve a finer degree of
perfection over regular thermoplastics. Businesses who want such custom
thermoplastics tailored to their own needs can contact such businesses that make
their own thermoplastics.
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