POLYMERS

5.1 PLASTICS
Introduction
The name plastics or plastic materials in general is given to
organic materials of high molecular mass, which can be moulded into
any desired form when subjected to heat and pressure in presence of
catalysts.
Polymer resin is the basic binding material, which forms the major
part of a plastic. In recent years plastics have attained greater
importance in every walk of life due to their unique properties.
Now, plastics substitute all engineering materials like wood, metal,
glass etc because of their special advantages over other conventional
materials.
Definition
Plastics are products of polymers. Polymers are resins which can
be moulded into different shapes by using heat and pressure.
Polymerisation
Polymerisation is the process of converting small organic
molecules into high molecular weight molecules either by addition or by
condensation reaction. The small molecules are called monomers and
the products are called polymers.
There are two types of polymerisation.
1. Addition polymerisation
2. Condensation polymerisation.
Addition Polymerisation
These types of polymers are formed by simple addition reaction
between small molecules containing double or triple bonds.
Example: Ethylene polymerizes to form polyethylene or polythene.
 nCH2=CH2 ———> - (-CH2-CH2-)n-
Ethylene Polyethylene
Other examples: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polystyrene, etc.
Condensation Polymerisation
These types of polymers are formed by reaction between small
molecules with elimination of molecules like H2O, H2S, NH3, etc.
Example: Formation of Phenol-formaldehyde resin. It is formed by the
reaction between phenol and formaldehyde.
OH

C6H5OH + HCHO - (-C6H4-CH2-)n-

Phenol Formaldehyde Phenol-formaldehyde

Other examples: Urea-formaldehyde resin, Nylon 6:6 etc.
Types of Plastics
Plastics are classified into two types:
1. Thermoplastics and
2. Thermosetting plastics.
Thermoplastics:
They are the resins which soften on heating and set on cooling.
Therefore, they can be remoulded any number of times and used.
Example: Polythene, PVC, Nylon, etc.
Thermosetting plastics:
They are the resins which set on heating and cannot be resoftened.
Hence, their scrap cannot be reused.
Examples: Phenol-formaldehyde resin (Bakelite), urea-
formaldehyde resin, etc.
Differences between thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics
The differences between two types of plastics arise mainly due to
the difference in their chemical structure.
 Property Thermoplastics Thermosetting plastics
Action of heat They soften on heating They set on heating and
and set on cooling cannot be resoftened.
every time
Type of bonding The polymer chains The polymers chains
between are held together by are linked by strong
adjacent polymer weak force called Van chemical bonds.
chains der Waal's force of (covalent bonds)
attraction.
Solubility They are soluble in They are insoluble in
organic solvents. organic solvents.
Expansion due to They expand very Their expansion is only
heating much on heating. marginal due to heat.
Type of They are formed by They are formed by
polymerisation addition polymerization condensation
polymerization
Example Polythene, PVC, Nylon Bakelite, Plaskon
Mechanical properties of Plastics
1. Creep or Cold flow:
Creep is a time dependent continuous deformation of plastics
under load. Plastics undergo deformation when a load is applied
continuously. Creep is due to the displacement of molecules in a
polymer structure. Because of this property plastics cannot be used as
load bearing materials.
2. Strength to weight ratio:
Plastics have good strength when compared to their lightweight.
Therefore, they replace lightweight metals like magnesium, aluminium
in many fields.
3. Thermal stability:
Plastics either degrade or soften at high temperatures. Hence,
they can not be used at high temperatures.
4. Softening temperature:
Softening temperature refers to the particular temperature at
which a plastic changes from elastic stage to fluid stage. The
temperature below which a polymer is hard and above which it is soft
is known as ‘Glass transition temperature (Tg)’.
5. Optical properties:
Some of the plastics are transparent like glass. Hence they can
be substituted for glass in optical instruments.
6. Electrical properties:
Plastics are good insulators as they are poor conductors of
electricity. Therefore, they are mainly used for electrical insulation
purposes.
Advantages of plastics over other traditional materials (like
wood, metals, glass etc)
1. Plastics are available in attractive colours.
2. They do not undergo corrosion.
3. They are not affected by insects.
4. They are light in weight.
5. They are cheap.
6. They can be moulded into any shape easily.
7. They are chemically inert.
8. They have good abrasion resistance.
9. They are good insulators of heat and electricity.
 Specific uses of some plastics
Bakelite (Phenol-formaldehyde):
1. It is used for making TV cabinets, housing laminates, telephone
components, decorative articles, bearings, electrical goods, etc.
2. It is also used as an excellent adhesive.
P.V.C (Polyvinyl chloride):
1. P.V.C is mainly used as an insulating material.
2. It is used for making table clothes, rain coats, toys, tool handles,
radio components, etc.
3. It is used for making pipes, hoses, etc.
4. It is used for making helmets, refrigerator components, etc.
5. It is used in making cycle and automobile parts.
Nylon (Nylon 6:6):
1. It is mainly used as fibre in textile industry.
2. It is used for making ropes, household articles, etc.
3. It is used for making machine components such as gears, bearings,
etc.
Urea-formaldehyde (Beetle ware):
1. It is used as cation exchanger in water treatment.
2. It is used in paper industry.
3. It is used to prepare insulation tapes.
4. It is used for lamination purposes.
5. It is used for making radio cabinets, switches, buttons, cups, plates etc.
Reinforced or filled plastics
Physical and mechanical properties of plastics are improved by
compounding of them with suitable materials. These materials are
called fillers and main types of fillers used are silicate materials. Such
type of polymers which are reinforced with fillers are called 'Reinforced
or Filled Plastics'.
Most commonly used fillers are:
Wood flour, Saw dust, Ground cork, Asbestos, Marble flour,
China clay, Paper pulp, Corn husk, Mica, Pumice powder, Carbon,
Cotton fibres, Boron fibres, Graphite, Silicon carbide, Silicon nitride,
Alumina,
Glass fibres, Metallic oxides like ZnO, PbO etc, and Metallic powders
like Al, Cu, Pb, etc.
Advantages of filled plastics
Fillers modify properties of basic polymer. They improve thermal
stability, mechanical strength, hardness, desired finish and water
resistance.
Specific fillers are added to give special characters.
For example,
1. Fillers like quartz and mica are added to improve hardness of
polymers.
2. Fillers like asbestos is added to give heat and corrosion resistance
to polymers.
3. Fillers like barium sulphate makes the polymers resisting X-
rays. The percentage of fillers used can be up to 50%.
Applications of filled plastics
1. Addition of carbon block about 40% increases tensile strength of
natural rubber which is used in automobile tyres.
2. Addition of china clay increases the electrical insulation property of
PVC.
3. Fibrous fillers like wood flour, short length synthetic fibres, cotton
floc, etc. are added to thermosetting plastics like phenol-
formaldehyde resin, melamine-urea resin to improve the impact
resistance.
4. In textiles for making shutters filled polymer is used with nylon as
polymer.
5. In electrical and electronic industries, filled polymers are used for
making exhaust fans, computer tapes, insulators, wire and cable
insulation, switch gear parts, spools etc.(using polypropylene, PET,
nylon and SAN as base polymers).
6. In consumer goods like doors, windows, hinges, chairs, camera
housing, etc (Polypropylene, ABS are used as base polymers).
7. In defence for making nose cones, pistol grips and riffle bullets, filled
polymers like polystyrene, nylon, etc are used.
8. They are used in automobiles for making door handles and engine
cooling fans.
Polymers in Medicine and Surgery
Biomaterials:
Biomaterials are the materials that can be implanted in the body
to provide special prosthetic functions or in diagnostic, surgical and
therapeutic applications without causing adverse effect on blood and
other tissues. Use of polymers as biomaterials is increasing day by day
since many polymers having diverse properties are more similar to the
body. Their appeal and acceptability is mainly due to their versatility
and the fact that they are tailor-made or modified at will suit specific
body functions.
Polymers used for medical application should be biocompatible. It
should possess the following characteristics.
1. It should have purity and reproducibility.
2. It should have optimum physical and chemical properties.
3. It should be fabricated into any desired shape without being degraded.
4. It should be sterilized easily.
5. Biopolymers that come in contact with blood and tissues should not
damage cellular elements of blood, enzymes and protein.
6. They should not produce toxic and allergic reactions.
7. They should not deplete electrolytes present in the
body. Biomedical uses of polymers:
The mostly used polymers in medical applications are silicone
rubber and polyurethane. Polymers used in specific medical
applications in medicine are given below.
S.No Polymer Applications
Polyurethane Heart valves, blood filters, artificial
1 hearts, vascular tubes, etc.
Polyvinyl chloride Disposable syringes, etc.
2 (PVC)
3 Polypropylene Heart valves, blood filters, etc.
4 Polyethylene Disposable syringes, etc.