According to the Usage of Polymer Materials

Polymer materials can be divided into plastic, rubber, fiber, adhesive, coatings, and functional polymer six categories. 

Plastic is a material that can be plasticized into certain shapes under certain conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.) and can keep its shape unchanged at room temperature and normal atmosphere pressure. According to their performance after heat treatment, plastics can be divided into thermoplastic and thermosetting plastics. A thermoplastic plastic is generally a linear or branched polymer. It melts when heated and solidifies when cooled, and this kind of behavior can be repeated, so the plastic can be used multiple times. The main varieties are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer. Thermosetting plastic is a space network polymer, which is formed by direct polymerization of monomers or by cross-linking of linear prepolymers. Once the solidification is finished, the polymer cannot be heated back to the plasticizing state. The main varieties are phenolic resin, epoxy resin, amino resin, and unsaturated polyester. 

Rubber is an organic macromolecule with high elasticity, also known as an elastomer. It has excellent elasticity in a wide temperature range (-50°C to 150°C). In addition to the unique high elasticity, rubber also has good mechanical, chemical, and wear resistance, as well as good electrical insulation, so it has become an indispensable material in the national economy. 

Rubber can be divided into natural rubber and synthetic rubber on the basis of its source. Natural rubber is prepared from rubber-containing plants in nature, such as a high-elasticity material produced from natural rubber trees. Synthetic rubber is a synthetic macromolecular elastic material prepared by artificial methods. The main varieties of synthetic rubber are styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, chlo-roprene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, and ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber. 

Fiber is a thin material with a length many times larger than its diameter and has certain flexibility. The aspect ratio (length and diameter ratio) of a textile fiber is generally greater than 1000 1. Fiber is also divided into two categories One is a natural fiber, such as cotton, wool, silk, and hemp, and another kind is a chemical fiber that is made from natural 

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