Specific gravity plastics

Because of the plasticizing action of the resin-forming materials, the wood can be compressed under considerably lower pressures than dry, untreated wood. For example, treated spmce, cottonwood, and aspen veneer, dried to a moisture content of 65 but not cured, are compressed, when subjected to a pressure of only 1.72 MPa (- 17 atm) at 149°C, to about half the original thickness and a specific gravity of - 1.0. 

This is used most often in process plants. It is a tough, low-cost material with probably the widest range of chemical resistance of any of the low-cost plastics. On a volume basis, PVC is more favorable than polypropylene because the modulus of PVC is considerably higher than that of polypropylene, so it will form more rigid structures when used at the same thickness. On a weight basis it is not as favorable as PVC because it has a specific gravity of 1.4 compared with 0.92 for polypropylene. 

ABS has a specific gravity of 1.03 to 1.06 and a tensile strength in the range of 6 to 7.5 X 10 psi. These polymers are tough plastics with outstanding mechanical properties. A wide variety of ABS modifications are available with heat resistance comparable to or better than polysulfones and polycarbonates (noted later in this section). Another outstanding property of ABS is its ability to be alloyed with other thermoplastics for improved properties. For example, ABS is alloyed with rigid PVC for a product with better flame resistance. 

Many different additives, fillers, and/or reinforcements are used in plastic materials. The weight of the compounds change according to the amount included. Figure 5-3 provides a guide to determining their specific gravities. 

D0792-00 Test methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Relative Density) of Plastics by Displacement, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 08.01 Plastics , ASTM International, West Conshohoken, 2007. 

The phenotype of a potato plant is very plastic (environmentally variable) with regard to many traits of interest for potato breeders. The effect of production environment on traits such as yield, tuber number, tuber size, specific gravity, and processing quality presents a challenge that is difficult to overcome. It requires the testing of clones in multiple years and locations. For example, quantitative trait loci have been detected for tuber starch content, but few were stable across environments (Schafer-Pregl et al., 1998). Similarly, environment has a laige impact on... 

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is widely used as an active filler in rubber and as a weatherability improver in polyolefins and polyesters. Titanium dioxide (TiOj) is widely used as a white pigment and as a weatherability improver in many polymers. Ground barites (BaS04) yield x-ray-opaque plastics with controlled densities. The addition of finely divided calcined alumina or silicon carbide produces abrasive composites. Zirconia, zirconium silicate, and iron oxide, which have specific gravities greater than 4.5, are used to produce plastics with controlled high densities. 

This polymer is a hard plastic that occurs naturally as gutta-percha or balata. Since the trans isomer packs better than the cis isomer, it has a higher specific gravity, a higher degree of crystallinity, and a higher melting point (67 C) than the ds isomer of polyisoprene. The chemical and the solvent resistance of the trans polymer are simitar to those of the ds polymer. 

The most widely used acrylic plastics are PMMA (Lucite) or copolymers of methyl methacrylate with small amounts (2 to 18%) of methyl or ethyl acrylate (Plexiglas). These commercial products, which are available as sheets and as molding powders, have a specific gravity of about 1.2, a heat deflection temperature of about 95 C, a refractive index of about 1.5, and a water absorption of 0.2%. PMMA is more resistant to impact than PS or glass, but its scratch resistance is inferior to that of glass,... 

Different grades of both of the ABS and HIPS plastics have specific gravities in the range of 1.055-1.125 g cm-1. As a result such mixtures can not be effectively separated by density gradient procedures. 

These costs declines coupled with plastic materials lower specific gravity allow them to compete more effectively on a price basis with metals in many instances. 

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