Resin and Plastic

Plastics, in the modem meaning, are synthetic materials capable of being molded. The Greek word plastikos means to form. Natural products, while plastic, are usually excluded. Resins may be natural or synthetic. The distinction between plastics and resins is arbitrary - many synthetic materials are both. Historically, the term resin was applied to synthetic substitutes for the natural product plastic was applied to compositions involving molding in their fabrication. Cuslomarily, the fiber industry is considered to be distinct from the plastics industry, although it uses the same ra v materials - polyamides (nylon), cellulose, and cellulose acetate. 

The first plastic was celluloid, made of nitrocellulose softened by vegetable oils and camphor. It was used for car windshields and for movie film. The first completely synthetic plastic was bakelite (1910) produced from phenol and formaldehyde for use in the electrical industry. 

Meanwhile, cellulose acetates were intensively studied to produce triacetate, a waterproof varnish to the fabric on World War I airplane wings. Triacetate also was made in powdered (omi for later melting and molding. With manufacturing development of methylene chloride, triacetate film came into use as a photographic base in 1935. Transparent acetate film was developed, and used for packaging. 

Vinyl chloride (1835) formed by reacting acetylene with hydrochloric acid, was polymerized a.v polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in 1912, The theory of polymerization by Staudinger in the 1920s- led to the advances that followed. The acrylate were polymerized as polymethylmethacrylate to come into production in 1927. Polystyrene was developed. similarly and concurrently. Polyethylene came into production in 1939 for use in radar and now is ubiquitous. 

The molecular chains of plastics are formed by condensation or addition polymerization,. V condensation polymer forms by stepwise reacting molecules with each other and eliminating small molecules such as water. Addition polymer forms chains by the linking without elimin.ating small molecules, 

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Reactions of the Methyl Groups. These reactions include oxidation, polycondensation, and ammoxidation. PX can be oxidized to both terephthahc acid and dimethyl terephthalate, which ate then condensed with ethylene glycol to form polyesters. Oxidation of OX yields phthaUc anhydride, which is used in the production of esters. These ate used as plasticizers for synthetic polymers. MX is oxidized to isophthaUc acid, which is also converted to esters and eventually used in plasticizers and resins (see Phthalic acids and otherbenzenepolycarboxylic acids). 

Cyclic Hydrocarbons. The cyclic hydrocarbon intermediates are derived principally from petroleum and natural gas, though small amounts are derived from coal. Most cycHc intermediates are used in the manufacture of more advanced synthetic organic chemicals and finished products such as dyes, medicinal chemicals, elastomers, pesticides, and plastics and resins. Table 6 details the production and sales of cycHc intermediates in 1991. Benzene (qv) is the largest volume aromatic compound used in the chemical industry. It is extracted from catalytic reformates in refineries, and is produced by the dealkylation of toluene (qv) (see also BTX Processing). 

Plastics and Resins. Plastics and resin materials are high molecular weight polymers which at some stage in their manufacture can be shaped or otherwise processed by appHcation of heat and pressure. Some 40—50 basic types of plastics and resins are available commercially, but HteraHy thousands of different mixtures (compounds) are made by the addition of plasticizers, fillers, extenders, stabilizers, coloring agents, etc. 

Table 11 shows U.S. production and sales of the principal types of plastics and resins. Some materials are used both as plastics, ie, bulk resin, and in other apphcations. For example, nylon is used in fibers, urethanes as elastomers. Only their use as plastics is given in Table 11 their uses in other apphcations are Hsted with those apphcations. 

Dimethylethanolamine, diethylethanolaniine, and thek derivatives are used in pesticides, corrosion inhibitors, dmgs and pharmaceuticals, emulsification, paints and coatings, metal fabrication and finishing, petroleum and petroleum products, and plastics and resins (226). 

The term amino resin is usually appHed to the broad class of materials regardless of appHcation, whereas the term aminoplast or sometimes amino plastic is more commonly appHed to thermosetting molding compounds based on amino resins. Amino plastics and resins have been in use since the 1920s. Compared to other segments of the plastics industry, they are mature products, and their growth rate is only about half of that of the plastics industry as a whole. They account for about 3% of the United States plastics and resins production. 

From the chemical point of view, succinic acid and its anhydride are characterized by the reactivity of the two carboxyUc functions and of the two methylene groups. Uses range from pharmaceuticals to food, detergents, cosmetics, plastics and resins, plant growth regulators, textiles, photography, and gas and water treatment. 

PVB resins are also compatible with a limited number of plasticizers and resins. Plasticizers (qv) improve processibility, lower T, and increase flexibihty and resiUency over a broad temperature range. Usehil plasticizers include dibutyl and butyl benzyl phthalates, tricresyl and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphates, butyl ricinoleate, dibutyl sebacate, dihexyl adipate, triethylene glycol di-2-ethylbutyrate, tetraethylene glycol diheptanoate, castor oil, and others (64-73). 

The main characteristic properties of asbestos fibers that can be exploited in industrial appHcations (8) are their thermal, electrical, and sound insulation nonflammabiUty matrix reinforcement (cement, plastic, and resins) adsorption capacity (filtration, Hquid sterilization) wear and friction properties (friction materials) and chemical inertia (except in acids). These properties have led to several main classes of industrial products or appHcations... 

Ethyl Vinyl Ether. The addition of ethanol to acetylene gives ethyl vinyl ether [104-92-2] (351—355). The vapor-phase reaction is generally mn at 1.38—2.07 MPa (13.6—20.4 atm) and temperatures of 160—180°C with alkaline catalysts such as potassium hydroxide and potassium ethoxide. High molecular weight polymers of ethyl vinyl ether are used for pressure-sensitive adhesives, viscosity-index improvers, coatings and films lower molecular weight polymers are plasticizers and resin modifiers. 

Oxirane is used as a fumigant for grain and a sterilant e.g. for space vehicles bound for putative abodes of life), but mainly for the manufacture of 1,2-ethanediol ( ethylene glycol ), emulsifiers, plastics and resins (below), plasticizers, synthetic rubber and synthetic fibers. Methyloxirane is used mainly to make detergents, hydraulic fiuids and lubricants. 

Elastic Behavior The assumption that displacement strains will produce proportional stress over a sufficiently wide range to justify an elastic-stress analysis often is not valid for nonmetals. In brittle nonmetallic piping, strains initially will produce relatively large elastic stresses. The total displacement strain must be kept small, however, since overstrain results in failure rather than plastic deformation. In plastic and resin nonmetallic piping strains generally will produce stresses of the overstrained (plasfic) type even at relatively low values of total displacement strain. 

Urea is used to make urea-formaldehyde plastics and resins and, increasingly, as a nitrogenous fertilizer (46.7% N). World production of urea was 23 million tonnes in 1984. 

The direct addition of chlorine to ethylene produces ethylene dichloride (1,2-dichloroethane). Ethylene dichloride is the main precursor for vinyl chloride, which is an important monomer for polyvinyl chloride plastics and resins. 

Uses. Its primary use in peacetime is for the prepn of esters, ethers, ketals, etc, which have widespread use in the paint, plastic, and resin inds (Ref 9). In WWII,... 

Limited compounding flexibility due to the reaction of peroxides with other compounding ingredients for example, with antioxidants, plasticizers, and resins... 

Flexible PVC resins and other dioctylphthalate-containing plastics and resins are used in a variety of industrial and domestic products plastisols for carpetback coating (EPA 1987b), film, wire, cables, and adhesives (HSDB 1995). Additional end-use products are automobile and furniture upholstery, wall coverings, window shades, garden hoses, shower curtains, tablecloths, rainwear, shoes, dolls, and toys (Mannsville Chemical Products Corporation 1989). 

Uses Manufacture of ethylbenzene (preparation of styrene monomer), dodecylbenzene (for detergents), cyclohexane (for nylon), nitrobenzene, aniline, maleic anhydride, biphenyl, benzene hexachloride, benzene sulfonic acid, phenol, dichlorobenzenes, insecticides, pesticides, fumigants, explosives, aviation fuel, flavors, perfume, medicine, dyes, and many other organic chemicals paints, coatings, plastics and resins food processing photographic chemicals nylon intermediates paint removers rubber cement antiknock gasoline solvent for fats, waxes, resins, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber. 

Uses Disinfectant phenolic resins tricresyl phosphate ore flotation textile scouring agent organic intermediate manufacturing salicylaldehyde, coumarin, and herbicides surfactant synthetic food flavors para isomer only) food antioxidant dye, perfume, plastics, and resins manufacturing. 

LC materials have also been employed as films, plastics, and resins. Poly(l,4-benzoate) has been marketed under the name Ekonol. It decomposes before it melts, hence it does not form LC melts. Copolymerization with 4,4 -biphenol and terephthalic acid gives Ekkcel,... 

Polymeric materials, along with several other chemical industrial products, contribute positively to the balance of trade (Table 1.12). In fact, plastics and resins show the greatest value increase of exports minus imports with over 12 billion net favoring exports. The polymer-intense materials numbers are higher than noted in Table 1.12 since fiber and rubber materials are absent as a separate entry. Even so, the figures demonstrate the positive role polymers play in our balance of trade situation. 

Formation of peroxides by exposure to air and their involvement in polymerization processes is important for surface coating formulations containing polyunsaturated lipids called drying oils. Also nondrying oils, such as soybean oil, are under development as renewable sources for plastics and resins " . ... 

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