Showing papers on "Commodity plastics published in 2005"

Chapter 3 – Plastics

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of plastics. There are different plastic matrixes (also called resin matrixes) used in Reinforced Plastics (RPs) that provide different properties and processing procedures in fabricated products. Plastics are a family of materials such as ceramics and metals. Within this family of plastics, about 30 wt% of them are RPs; the others are referred to as Unreinforced Plastics (URPs). The family of plastics is classified several ways. The two major classifications are Thermoplastics (TPs) and Thermosets (TSs). Over 90wt% of all plastics used are TPs. The TPs and the TSs in turn are classified as commodity plastics (CP) or engineering plastics (EP). Commodities such as Polyethylenes (PEs), Polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs), Polypropylenes (PPs), and Polystyrenes (PSs) account for over two-thirds of plastic sales worldwide. Engineering plastics are characterized with meeting higher and/or improved performances such as heat resistance, impact strength, chemical resistance, and the ability to be molded to high precision standards. In addition, types of plastics are usually identified by their composition and/or performance.

Paper Submitted for Presentation in ECS2005 The European Coating Symposium 2005 Moisture Sorption, Transport, and Hydrolytic Degradation in Polylactide

Abstract: Even though there is a significant growing interest in bio-based polymers derived from renewable resources, bio-based polymers have had limited success competing against petroleum-based plastics in the commodity plastics markets due to several reasons including economics, inferior properties and environmental performance. Some of the major technical challenges to widespread acceptance of bio-based polymers are difficulties achieving mechanical and barrier properties comparable to conventional synthetic polymers while maintaining biodegradability. The current leading bio-based

The contribution of polymer physics to commodity plastics with added value

Abstract: Polymeric materials find applications in a number of fields and in variety forms. Nowadays, synthetic polymers are important pillars of our civilization. From the 1930's polymer physics has emerged as an important and respected part of polymer science and followed the development of polymer chemistry. The understanding of the relations between structural hierarchy and macroscopic behaviour, brought about by polymer physics, led to important modifications of existing polymers and the development of new polymeric materials with added value.