Thermoplastics future trends

The unusual and attractive properties of the block polymers already identified, and the almost limitless combinations of possible block polymer structures, argue for an unbounded future. The rapidly growing applications for the commercial thermoplastic rubber block polymers of Table III have confirmed the trend. To lend some credibility to our look at the future, however, we have restricted it to the area of A-B-A block polymers in which we have the most experience. Some of the future trends we suggest are higher service temperature, oxidative stability, better processability, solvent resistance, flame retardance, electrical conductivity. 

B. Future Trends for Thermoplastic Acrylics as Systems for Coatings fm Cement Substrates... 

Legge, N. R., G. Holden and H. Schroeder (eds.), Thermoplastic Elastomers, A Comprehensive Review , Oxford University Press, New York, 1988. Structure, properties and future trends are emphasized in the chapters each written by researchers who have contributed significantly to the science. 

Aharoni S M (2002) Probable future trends in various classes of thermoplastic polyesters, in Handbook of Thermoplastic Polyesters (Ed. Fakirov S) Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, pp. 1321-1338. 

This book covers the chemical aspects, physical structure and properties, application opportunities, life cycle assessment, recycling possibilities, and the future trends of the three classes of thermoplastic elastomers. 

An interesting trend that appears to presage the wave of the future in engineering thermoplastics is the current focus on polymer blending and alloying. Metals and their alloys have been coeval with the spread of civilization. Early man used available metals in their naturally occurring state. The progress of civilization was literally determined by man s ability to modify natural metals... 

Smaller cars will likely become more popular in the near future and for them, PP-based compounds have already become major materials. Several car models now contain well over 50 kg of PP, and in at least a few small cars, over half the plastics content is PP-based. In the future, it should become increasingly common to see 100-150 kg of thermoplastics in all cars and light trucks—40% or more of which are PO materials. And now, perhaps more than ever, the auto trends mentioned below will capitalize on the properties of these materials ... 

Growing popularity of plastics as a material is reflected in the exponential growth of its global production volume (see Fig. 4.2) over its short history as a commercially available material. 280 million metric tons of plastic resin was manufactured globally in 2012, and the annual trend is for this to continue into the future. Thermoplastic resins make up over 90% of this production. Thermoplastics is a general term used for plastics that can be softened into a viscous liquid melt by heating and can therefore be remolded again into the same or a different shape. (This is why postconsumer thermoplastics can be readily recycled into other products.)... 

Renault apart, the concept of the complete plastic front or rear end was slow to develop in volume cars. Lotus used PUR foam-filled ABS in the mid-1970s, while British Leyland used PUR and various thermoplastics in a range of small-volume sports cars. Their Triumph TR7 in 1976 was designed with bumpers in injection moulded PC, although the rear bumper was converted to glass reinforced nylon 12 when the fuel sensitivity of polycarbonate became apparent. What was to prove the main trend for the future... 

Polycondensation Reactions in Thermoplastic Elastomer Chemistry State of the Art, Trends, and Future Developments... 

The first part of this chapter is a critical review of the various techniques of polycondensation used in the preparation of block copolymers [2]. It is followed by an analysis of the research trends and future, and the developments of polycondensation reactions leading to the obtaining of thermoplastic elastomers. 

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