SSCC 4743 Material Chemistry
Section 01
ASSIGNMENT TOPIC : PLASTIC
Group Members :
[Link] HAO TING
[Link] NOR SULAIKA BT WAN SALLEH
[Link] NORWAHIDA BT WAN ABD RAHIM
INTRODUCTION
Greek word : Plasticos, means to be able to be shaped or be moulded by
heat.
Plastic is a polymeric material which can be moulded into any shape.
All plastics are polymers, but not all polymers are plastics. A polymer is a
chemical compound formed by a chemical reaction in which two or more
monomers are combined to form a repeating chains of structural units.
HISTORY OF PLASTIC
John Wesley Hyatt developed a cellulose derivative as the substitute for
natural ivory for commercial products such as dental plates to mens
collar in around 1860 [1].
In next few decades, Leo Hendricks Baekeland developed the first
completely synthetic plastic, which sold under the name Bakelite.
In 1920, a German chemist named Hermann Staudinger assumed that all
plastics consist of a large molecules held together by a strong chemical
bond. Many new products were designed such as Nylon(Lucite), Methyl
methacrylate(Plexigas) and polytetrafluoroethylene(Teflon)
Julian Hill discovered the application of nylon to produce silk thread fiber.
In 1953, Karl Ziegler developed polyethylene and Giulio Natta developed
polypropylene, which are the two common plastics used.
Manufacture of Plastic
Production of plastic can be divided into four categorizes:
1.
Acquiring the raw material
2.
Synthesizing the basic polymer
3.
Compounding the polymer into a material that can be fabricated
4.
Moulding or shaping the material into its final form.
Additives in Plastic Manufacture
Chemical additives can be used in the production of plastics to achieve
certain characteristics. These additives include:
i.
antioxidants to protect the polymer from degradation by ozone or oxygen
ii.
ultraviolet stabilizers to protect against weathering
iii.
lubricants to reduce friction problems
iv.
Flame retardants
v.
antistatic
Types of Plastic
Thermoset
Thermoplastic
Thermoset Plastics can only be
molded once and cannot be soften
and deformed upon heating.
Thermoplastics soften and deformed
easily upon heating and can be bent
easily.
Improve the materials mechanism
properties, enhanced chemical and
heat resistance.
Shrink-resistance and easy
bendability.
Non-recyclyable
Cost-effective
More resistant to high temperature
Recyclable
Eco-friendly manufacturing
Reshaping capabilities
Examples :
Examples :
Bakelite used for electrical handles PVC and Polythene used for toys
and switches.
and containners
Melamine used for floor tiles and
kitchen wares.
Disposal of Plastic
Degradation of polymers is induced by chemical factors which is
corrosive chemicals such as ozone or the sulphur in agrochemicals.
The effect of a solvent on the structure of the polymer material can be
significant at times. Usually, a swelling stage precedes the dissolution
process.
Dissolution is impeded by the strong intermolecular interactions
degradation
and
stabilization
of
polyethylene
between
macromolecules.
Chemical recycling is known as a pathway to convert the plastic wastes
to more usable and energy-dense materials such as gas fuel or fuel oil
for the chemical industries.
Improvement of Plastic
In 1945, Cogan and Quarles has successfully improved the plastic
composition by introduction of water insoluble polyvinyl partial acetal resins
to be used in adhesive and paints [2].
A group of Japanese researcher has improved the moisture resistance of
plastic encapsulated internal circuit by introduction of copper lead frame
materials [3].
Development and use of biodegradable polymers and water-soluble
polymers
serve as an alternative to replace plastic will bring more
advantages than drawback [4].
Application of Plastic
Packaging
Electrical &
electronic
application
Building and
construction
Medical &
health
Sports,
leisure &
design
Transportation
Packing
Lightest packaging material
reduce transportation energy, decrease emissions and lower shipping costs
reduce amount of waste generated.
Food conservation and preservation
protects and preserves perishable food for longer
reduce waste & use of preservatives while maintaining the taste and nutritional value of
food.
Safe and hygienic
protects against contaminationof foods and medicine
prevent the spreading of germs during manufacture, distribution and display.
tamper-proof closures provide additional protection & security,
transparent packaging allows people to look at food without having to touch it, cutting down
Building & Construction
Durable & corrosion resistance
Insulation
Cost efficiency
Heat insulator, prevent leakages and allow householdsto saveenergywhile
alsoreducing noise pollution.
Lesscost to produce and install, even in custom-made forms.
Minimum operation and maintenance
Easy to be installed, operated and maintained.
In the case of plastic pipes, their flexibility allows them to cope with soil movements.
Examples : Insulator, Piping, Window frame and Interior design.
Transportation
Used as internal parts of a vehicle
The weight of a car can be reduced as plastic is lighter than metal. Therefore, the
petroleum consumption can be reduced by 7.5%.
Used as externally plastic:
Durable, do not easily corrode and require little maintenance
Allow freedom of design & economical manufacture
Used as Internal plastics fittings:
Dashboards, flooring, seats & faces
Maintain attractive appearance
Easy to clean
Electronics
Resource-efficiency
Polymers can help store energy for longer
Invisible resource efficiency takes place by design flexibility of plastic parts inside
household equipment
Example : Lye container in washing machine, reduce water consumption
Resistance
Serve as electrical insulator, combined with resistance to mechanical shock and
stress as well as flexibility & durability
Examples: Cables, household appliance and smartphones
Medical and Healthcare
Used as capsules for drug:
Tartaric acid-based polymer : gradually breaks down, slowly release active
gradients over longer period of time.
Used as hearing aids
Consist of numerous components - a microphone, a transmission device
connected to a micro-computer worn on the body, a stimulator & an electrode
carrier with 16 electrodes for 16 different frequency ranges.
Sports, Leisure and Design
Used as sports footwear : running shoes that weight just a few grams yet provide the
strength & suppleness
Used in racquets : Plastics are light and strong with excellent shock-absorbing systems.