Material properties plastic classification

Plastics and polymer composites are much more expensive than metals, even more-specialized ones such as nickel. As for the specific mechanical properties, the high densities of metals modify the classification of the various materials. According to the cost per volume, plastics are competitive. Only the very high performance plastics or composites are more expensive than metals. 

Application Tests. Physicochemical and special analytical test methods allow the classification of carbon blacks and a rough estimation of their application properties. Exact data on the application properties of a carbon black in a special system, e.g., plastic material or a rubber mixture, can only be given by application tests under nearly practical conditions. 

The application areas of bimodal polyethylenes are the same as for corresponding uni-modal resins. However, improved product property combinations, such as stiffness-impact balance, result in products with higher performance. For example, without bimodal polyethylene and control over the MWD and comonomer incorporation, development of HDPE pipe materials with higher pressure classification would not have been possible [15, 16]. Another new opportunity is material reduction (source reduction) without compromising the properties of the ready-made plastic products. Depending on the end use, e.g. in film application a thickness reduction of 10-30% is possible. 

Other Classification Criteria. Other levels of classification should be superimposed on the above. These include latex, suspension, and bulk type syntheses, all of which result in different properties of the final materials. Uses of plastic-forming and elastomer-forming monomers and crystalline and amorphous structures must be distinguished. The tacticity of the polymers is sometimes important. Of course, the ratio of both polymer masses dictates the overall morphology. Physical operations such as swelling, annealing, and orienting must be considered in any complete treatment. 

It is not possible to discuss here the special properties of all the different types of plastic materials that can occur within these three groups. The plastics industry today, by employing copolymerization or chemical modification, is capable of producing an extraordinary number of combinations of properties, making the identification of corresponding plastics more complicated. Its physical appearance and its classification as a thermoplastic, thermoset, or elastomer therefore permit us to draw conclusions about the chemical nature of the plastic only in simple cases. But they often provide a useful additional way of characterizing the material. 

This book chapter evaluates the definition, classification, and scope of POCs in different applications. POCs represent one of the most widely used polymeric materials. Synergistic reactions between the polymer matrix and filler materials (particulate, fiber, and structural fillers) result in modified properties. This book chapter contributes a brief introduction followed by a definition of processing and an extensive illustration of the different applications of POCs in a variety of fields (consumer, medical, agricultural, packaging, transportation, electrical, construction, and textile). POCs with natural wood fiber are widely used in consumer applications. They result in wood-like texture and properties with the cost of plastic. 

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