THE WORLD OF PLASTICS

Engr. Lina D. dela Cruz

Chemical Engineering Departmnt

The synthetic or man-made

polymers, play a major industrial
role in our society today.
The polymer industry produces
more than 10,000 different
polymeric products for numerous
diverse uses. Many of these
products are referred to as
plastics

Plastics have been used to replace natural

materials in existing products.
Their low cost and superior performance
as compared to wood, metals, and fabrics
have allowed industry to cut
manufacturing expenses, improve product
performance, and reduce cost to the
consumer.
Chemists are now learning to design
products with specific chemical and
physical properties for use in all new
applications.

Since students are surrounded by

plastic products, they should have
general understanding of how these
products are processed in industry
to make the objects they are
familiar

The objective of this module is to aid

students in developing an understanding
of the relationship between science and
technology as well as view science as a
human endeavor.
The simulation of the plastic
manufacturing processes of extrusion,
injection molding and blow molding will
provide the framework to reach these
objectives

Plastics Processing:

The plastics industry is composed of three

divisions.
One is the manufacture of resins or the pellets
made from starting materials such as crude oil.
For example polyethylene resins are made from
"cracking" or breaking the bonds of petroleum
molecules to make ethylene gas,C2H2.
Under high pressure and temperature, ethylene
molecules are joined together in a chain or
"polymerized" to form polyethylene.

High density polyethylene (HDPE)

contains lots of straight chain molecules
that are thousands of units long.
Low density polyethylene (LDPE) contains
side branches of atoms to the parent
chain.
Both HDPE and LDPE are long-chained
molecules composed of carbon and
hydrogen atoms.

A polymer of polyethylene where

each carbon atom bonded to two
hydrogen atoms are then bonded
carbon to carbon to form the
polymer.

However, creating a polymer is just

the first step in making a useful
product.
The second division in the polymer
industry involves the manufacture
of a compound with either plastic or
elastomeric mixtures.

(Elastomers are rubber and rubberlike products.) Here the plastic

resins or elastomers produced by
the first division are mixed with
other ingredients such as pigments,
fillers, plasticizers, and other
chemicals.

The creation of various forms of the

mixed compounds allows ease of
handling and these include
powders, flakes, granules, liquids or
in the case of elastomers, slabs or
strips for processing by the third
division. The processing plant then
produces the plastic or elastomer
objects for the consumer.

In the case of the plastic compound,

it can be either thermoset or
thermoplastic. If it is a thermoset
type of material, crosslinking takes
place while curing and it can not be
reshaped.
However, thermoplastic materials
can be shaped and reshaped
(Recycled).

Three of the most common plastics processing

methods involved in the shaping or molding of
plastics are extrusion, injection molding, and blow
molding.
They all involve melting the molding compounds
by heat and pressure and forcing the melted or
softened plastic into a mold or through an
opening to shape the object.
In the case of the thermoplastic material, the
object must be cooled to stop the flow of plastic
and to allow the object to harden.

Extrusion:

Extrusion (similar to a meat grinder) is

a process that involves forcing a melted
plastic through a "die" or nozzle. Dry
plastic powder or granules are subjected
to heat and pressure as they go through
an extruder.
As the plastic melts into a thick viscous
material, it is forced through a die or
hole in the shape of the finished
product.

The extruded material then lands

on a moving conveyer belt which
carries the plastic into a stream of
cool water or air.
This allows the manufacturer to
continually produce a product with
a desired shape. Extruded pieces
can then be cut to specific lengths

Examples of extruded products are; auto

trim, vinyl windows frames, house siding,
pipes, tubing, fibers, films (bags,
coverings and laminates), and coatings.
More examples can be identified if the
viewer looks for long, continuous pieces
with a consistent cross-sectional shape
(not tapered).
These pieces are typically cut to specific
lengths so they may also show a sharp
cut edge.

Extrusion Process

Extruded Parts

Injection Molding:

Injection molding is the most important

commercial method for transforming
thermoplastics into useful products.
A thermoplastic polymer is one that can
be reheated and reshaped many times.
Thermoset plastics set in a desired shape
and cannot be reheated and remolded.

During the injection molding process, plastics are

heated until they soften into a molten state. The
melted plastic is then forced at high pressure
through a nozzle into a cold mold.
The plastic cools in the mold and takes on the
molds shape. Once the plastic is cooled, the mold
opens and the product is released from the mold.
The resulting product often needs no further work
before being put into use since details such as
ribs and screw threads can be formed during this
process

Examples of injection molded items are;

cabinets for computers, computer
screens, and computer keyboards
parts of plastic model or hobby kits,
plastic bottle caps, brake and engine
parts, reflectors and headlights,
circuit breakers, toaster oven panels,
power tool and lighting housings, and
even tableware.

Injection Molding Process

Injection Molded Toys

Blow Molding

Blow molding technology has been

adapted from the glass industry for
molding of hollow containers from
thermoplastic materials.
The most widely known blow molded
objects are bottles, jars, cans, and
containers of all types for the food,
beverage, cosmetic, medical,
pharmaceutical, and home products
industries

Among other blow molded objects

are balls, toys, automobile fuel
tanks, and car bumpers. These
objects are hollow and thin walled.

Blow Molding

Examples of Blow Molded Toys