Trends in polymer technology

The global production capacities for thermoplastics (2000) are indicated in Tables 10.1 and 10.2. 

The four largest classes of synthetic polymers (PE, PP, PVC and PET) make up about 80 % of the world market. About 60% of the production of polymers supplies structural materials to the market (packaging 41 %, building components 20 %, electric insulation 9 %, automobile parts 7 %, agriculture 2 %, miscellaneous 

Thermoplastic Global production (Mt y-1) Growth rate (%) Plant capacity (kt y-1)  

while 40% serve as functional materials (as additives, processing aids, adhesives, coatings, viscosity regulators, lubricants, etc.). 

Packaging trends involve lower cost, more functionality, volume growth, shorter product life-cycles and increased value. Rigid plastic packaging now dominates markets which were previously the exclusive realms of materials such as glass and metal, despite the fact that some technical aspects of plastic are still inferior to those of such traditional materials, e.g. the failure of plastics to withstand high temperatures without deforming, or barrier properties of a standard comparable to that 

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