INSTITUTION: DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

COURSE: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

UNIT NAME: MATERIAL SCIENCE
UNIT CODE: EMG 2406

PLASTICS

Plastics: are generally inorganic compounds based upon carbon and

hydrogen. They are very large molecular structures. Usually they are low
density and are not stable at high temperatures. Plastics have their origin in
the chemical synthesis of materials from agriculture, agriculture and
petroleum, petroleum and coal, petroleum and mineral and mineral itself
Plastics are basically divided into:
Thermoplastics: Solids at room temperature that are melted or softened by
heating, placed into a mold and then cooled to give the desired shape. Can
be reshaped at any time by heating the part (recycled)
Thermosets: Can be either liquids or solids at room temperature that are
place into a mold and then heated to cure (set) or harden, thus giving the
desired shape and solid properties. Thermosets cannot be reshaped by
heating i.e. it does not restore its former flowability.
Thermoplastic materials
Engineering plastics: have ability to replace metallic parts in applications
such as automotive, appliances and housewares. They also possess the
following:
Mechanical properties
High strength and stiffness (comparable to metals when in terms of
specific properties)
Retention of mechanical properties over a wide range of
temperatures Toughness, Dimensional stability,

Ability to withstand environmental factors such as water, solvents

and other chemicals

Chemical properties

Chemical properties of thermoplastics

It may melt before passing to a gaseous state

They are soluble in certain solvents

They swell in the presence of certain solvents

Allow plastic deformation when heated.

If the thermoplastic material has a high concentration of polymers with a

crystalline structure the material will be very strong

Most thermoplastics have a high molecular weight

The intermolecular weaken rapidly with increased temperature yielding a

viscous liquid.

They form reversible chemical bonds hence can be reused

Engineering plastics include

Polyamides or Nylons
Acetals or polyoxymethylenes (POM)
Polycarbonates (PC)
Acrylics (PAN, PMMA)
Fluoropolymers (PTFE, FEP, PFA)
Thermoset materials
Thermoset parts are made from polymer resins that are capable of forming
chemical crosslinks.
Thermosets include:
Phenolics (PF)
Amino plastics (UF and MF)
Polyester thermosets (TS) Epoxies (EP)
Thermoset polyamides
Mechanical properties

As the crosslinks increases, the stiffness of the material also increases.

Thus, many thermosets are typically stiffer

More brittle that thermoplastics.

The impact toughness

reinforcements

can

be

increases

by

adding

fillers

or

Chemical properties

Thermosets are resistant to chemical reactions.

Relatively higher melting and boiling points due to their covalent bonds
between the atoms and the cross-links.
Oxidation resistance thermosets does not corrode at all.
They are non-biodegradable.

MANUFCTURING
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THERMOPLASTICS

Thermoplastics can be made 'plastic' and malleable at high temperatures. Modern

thermoplastic polymers soften anywhere between 65 C and 200+ C. In this state
they can be molded in a number of ways. They differ from thermoset plastics in that
they can be returned to this plastic state by reheating. They are then fully
recyclable. Methods of shaping the softened plastic include:

Injection moulding
Extrusion
Compression moulding

Some of the above methods are discussed below;

Injection Moulding

A common process for forming plastics and involves four steps: common process
for forming plastics and involves four steps:
1. Powder or pelletized polymer is heated to the liquid state.
2. Under pressure, the liquid polymer is forced into a mold through under pressure,
the liquid polymer is forced into a mold through an opening, called a sprue. Gates
control the flow of the material.
3. The pressurized material is held in the mould until it solidifies.
4. The mold is opened and the part removed by ejector pins.
Advantages of injection molding include rapid processing, little waste and easy
automation.
Molded parts include combs, toothbrush bases, pails, pipe fittings and model
airplane parts.
Compression Moulding
This process was the first to be used to form plastics. It involves four steps:
1. Pre-formed blanks, powders or pellets are placed in the bottom section of a
heated mould or die.
2. The other half of the mould is lowered and is pressure applied.
3. The material softens under heat and pressure, flowing to fill the mould. Excess is
squeezed from the mould. If a thermoset, cross-linking occurs in the mould.

4. The mould is opened and the part is removed.

When thermoplastics are used, the mould is cooled before removal so the part will
not lose its shape.

Transfer molding is a refinement of compression molding. Transfer molding is

used to encapsulate parts, such as for semiconductor manufacturing. The
formation of plywood or oriented strand board using a thermoset adhesives
is variant of compression molding. The wood veneer or strands are coated
with cattily zed thermoset phenol formaldehyde resin and compressed and
heated to cause the thermoset plastic to form into a rigid, non-melting
adhesive
Extrusion

This process makes parts of constant cross section like pipes and rods. Liquid
polymer/thermoplastic goes through a die to produce a final shape. It involves
polymer goes through a die to produce a final shape. It involves four steps:
1. Pellets of the polymer are mixed with coloring and additives.

2. The material is heated to its proper plasticity.

3. The material is forced through a die.
4. The material is cooled.
An extruder has a hopper to feed the polymer and additives, a barrel with a
continuous feed screw, a heating element, and a die holder. An adapter at the end
of an extruder blowing air through an orifice into the hot polymer extruded through
a ring die produces plastic bags and films.

Thermoset Plastic Manufacturing Process

Thermoset are made by combining thermosetting resin binders (phenolic,
epoxy, melamine, silicone etc.). With reinforcing base materials (canvas,
linen, glass, paper, graphite, Kevlar etc.).
Thermoset plastic are identified in process by three stages: A, B and C.
A-stage; - Refers to the key raw materials described earlier - reinforcing
substrates and resin binders.
B-stage: - refers to the product produced when reinforcing substrates and
resin binders are brought together but not fully cured.
The reinforcing substrate is unwound from a large master roll and dipped into
a bath of liquefied resin binder. The reinforcing substrate becomes either
saturated, as is the case with absorbent papers and cotton cloths, or coated,
as is the case with glass and graphite cloths. Once the wet resin binder is
joined with the reinforcing substrate in this method, it is slowly drawn
through a long conveyorized oven where the liquefied resin binder is dried
(see sketch below). The result leaves dry semi-cured resin bind in and/or on
the reinforcing substrate. Once joined and dried in this fashion, the product
is referred to as B-stage or prepreg, and the process described is called Bstaging, prepreging or treating.
C-stage: - Refers to sheet, rod, tube, angle or other in their "cured stage".
To B-stage product, pressure is applied. While under pressure, heat is
introduced to begin the bake cycle. The resin in the B-stage product is reactivated by the heat to a sticky state which moves slowly, filling and
bonding the layers together until it eventually hardens and cures. Once plies
bond to each other and cure, they are referred to as C-stage.
The C-stage products are obtained using a number of methods which are
similar to those of thermoplastics which have been discussed above. Others
that have not been discussed include the following:

Casting
This process is the low pressure, often just pouring, addition of liquid resins
to a mold. Catalyzed thermoset plastics can be formed into intricate shapes
by casting. Molten polymethyl methacrylate thermoplastic can be cast into
slabs to form windows for commercial aquariums. Casting can make thick
sheet, 0.500 inches to many inches thick.

Applications
Thermoplastics can be used to manufacture the dashboards and car trims,
toys, phones, handles, electrical products, bearings, gears, rope, hinges and
catches, glass frames, cables, hoses, sheet, and windows etc. other
uses/applications in various fields include the following:
electronic chips.
Fiber-reinforced composites
polymeric coatings
spectacle lenses
dental fillings.
Insulating material for handles on cookware and irons.
They are widely applied in areas such as telephone earpieces, electrical
housings and connecting blocks.
It is used as a key ingredient in many of the weapons used in War

Thermosets are commonly used for high temperature applications. Some of

the common products are electrical equipment, motor brush holders, printed
circuit boards, circuit breakers, encapsulation, kitchen utensils, handles and
knobs, and spectacle lenses. other uses/applications include:
Serve as sturdy substitutes for glass in items such as aquariums,
helmets, visors and aircraft windows such as acrylic
Manufacture of heat resistant composite materials such as nylon.
Some thermoplastics are used to coating materials due to their
resistance to chemicals (chemically inert) such as teflon.
Some are used by the construction industry, such as for vinyl siding,
drainpipes, gutters and roofing sheets due to their light weight and
resistance to acids and bases. Such include polyvinyl chloride (pvc)
Used in manufacturing of packaging such as bags and bottles,
household goods such as bowls, buckets and many other containers

 Some are used for hospital and lab equipment, chemical plant and also
domestic hardware including monofilaments used as ropes. Such as
polypropylene.
Used to make refrigerator trays or boxes making of rigid foams which
are used in building and refrigeration as insulation against heat and
sound..
Some are very soluble in many organic solvents and are used in paints,
lacquers, adhesives and coatings. Such as polyvinyl acetate.
Manufacturing of advertising displays, machine guards, Handles for
brushes and cutlery, pens and pencils since they are tough and flexible
such as cellulose acetate.
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is soft and flexible and is used in the
manufacture of squeeze bottles, sacks and sheets and other household
plastic equipment.