Uses, plastics

Materials of Construction Suitable materials of constmction are steel, stainless steel, and aluminum 3003. Galvanized steel should not be used. Plastic tanks and lines are not recommended. 

Numerous toxicological studies have been conducted on a variety of plasticizers. However, because di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most widely used plasticizer and is a well-defined single substance, it is the plasticizer that has been most thoroughly investigated in terms of its toxicology and has often been considered as a model for the other phthalates (36). 

Sihcone polymer plasticizers have historically been used in many formulations. These plasticizers (qv) are of the same Si—O backbone as the functional polymers but generally are terrninated with trimethyl groups which are unreactive to the cure system. This nonreactivity means that, if improperly used, the plasticizer can migrate from the sealant and stain certain substrates. Staining has been a widely pubHcized flaw of sihcone sealants, but the potential of a formulation to stain a substrate can be minimized or eliminated with proper formulation work. In general, this is accompHshed by not using plasticizers for formulations developed for stain-sensitive substrates. 

To complete the assembly of a cell, the interleaved electrode groups are bolted to a cov er and the cover is sealed to a container. Originally, nickel-plated steel was the predominant material for cell containers but, more recently plastic containers have been used for a considerable proportion of pocket nickel-cadmium cells. Polyethylene, high impact polystyrene, and a copolymer of propylene and ethylene have been the most widely used plastics. 

Battery assembly using cylindrical cells varies, and ceU-to-ceU connections are spot welded after using either flat tabs or cup tabs. CeU-to-ceU insulation is effected either by using plastic cell jackets (shrink-on) or by inserting cells in plastic modules with each cell occupj-ing its own cavity. 

Lower cost and lower weight cylindrical cells have been made using plastic bound or pasted actwe material pressed into a metal screen. Tliese cells suffer slightly in utilization at high rates compared to a sintered-plate cylindrical cell, but they may be adequate for most applications. Tlie effect of temperature and discharge rate on the capacity of sealed nickel-cadmium cells is illustrated in Figure 8 and Table 3. 

Electrical Applications. Plastics are used for electrical insulation, conduit and enclosures, lighting fixtures, and mechanical devices. The most widely used plastic for wire and cable insulation is flexible, plasticized PVC, which constitutes well over half the market in insulating wires for buildings, automobiles, appHances, and power and control lines. Polyethylene is also a factor. Higher performance plastics such as nylon and fluoropolymers also play a smaller role in this area. 

The most widely used plasticizers are paraffinic oils. Por appHcations that specify high use temperatures, or for peroxide cures, paraffinic oils of low volatihty are definitely recommended. However, since paraffinic oils exude at low temperatures from EPDM vulcanizates, or from high ethylene EPDMs, they are often blended with naphthenic oils. On the other hand, naphthenic oils interfere with peroxide cures. Aromatic oils reduce the mechanical properties of vulcanizates, and they also interfere with peroxide cures. Therefore, they are not recommended for EPM/EPDM. 

Osher, J.E., H.H. Chau, G.R. Gathers, R.S. Lee, G.W. Pomykal, and R.C. Weingart (1988), Shock-Wave Studies Using Plastic Flyers Driven by an Electric Gun for Hypervelocity Impact on Selected Materials, in Shock Waves in Condensed Matter 1987 (edited by S.C. Schmidt and N.C. Holmes), Elsevier Science, New York, pp. 673-676. 

In the massive form poly(vinyl chloride) is a colourless rigid material with limited heat stability and with a tendency to adhere to metallic surfaces when heated. For these, and other, reasons it is necessary to compound the polymer with other ingredients to make useful plastics materials. By such means it is possible to produce a wide range of products, including rigid piping and soft elastic cellular materials. 

Since large tonnage production is desirable in order to minimise the cost of a polyamide and since the consumption of nylons as plastics materials remains rather small, it is important that any new materials introduced should also have a large outlet as a fibre. There are a number of polyamides in addition to those already mentioned that could well be very useful plastics materials but which would be uneconomical for all but a few applications if they were dependent on a limited outlet in the sphere of plastics. Both nylon 7 and nylon 9 are such examples but their availability as plastics is likely to occur only if they become established fibre-forming polymers. This in turn will depend on the economics of the telomerisation process and the ability to find outlets for the telomers produced other than those required for making the polyamides. 

From the time that formaldehyde was first isolated by Butlerov in 1859 polymeric forms have been encountered by those handling the material. Nevertheless it is only since the late 1950s that polymers have been available with the requisite stability and toughness to make them useful plastics. In this period these materials (referred to by the manufacturers as acetal resins or polyacetals) have achieved rapid acceptance as engineering materials competitive not only with the nylons but also with metals and ceramics. 

Perhaps a more specialized case of using plasticizers in acrylic formulations can be found in drug delivery patches. Here, plasticizing additives called excipients... 

Plasticizers can be classified according to their chemical nature. The most important classes of plasticizers used in rubber adhesives are phthalates, polymeric plasticizers, and esters. The group phthalate plasticizers constitutes the biggest and most widely used plasticizers. The linear alkyl phthalates impart improved low-temperature performance and have reduced volatility. Most of the polymeric plasticizers are saturated polyesters obtained by reaction of a diol with a dicarboxylic acid. The most common diols are propanediol, 1,3- and 1,4-butanediol, and 1,6-hexanediol. Adipic, phthalic and sebacic acids are common carboxylic acids used in the manufacture of polymeric plasticizers. Some poly-hydroxybutyrates are used in rubber adhesive formulations. Both the molecular weight and the chemical nature determine the performance of the polymeric plasticizers. Increasing the molecular weight reduces the volatility of the plasticizer but reduces the plasticizing efficiency and low-temperature properties. Typical esters used as plasticizers are n-butyl acetate and cellulose acetobutyrate. 

PVC, the polymerization product of chlorine-substituted ethylene derivatives, is probably the most widely used plastic for process plant construction. It is available in four different types rigid, high impact, high temperature and plasticized. 

Certain polymers have come to be considered standard building blocks of the polyblends. For example, impact strength may be improved by using polycarbonate, ABS and polyurethanes. Heat resistance is improved by using polyphenylene oxide, polysulphone, PVC, polyester (PET and PBT) and acrylic. Barrier properties are improved by using plastics such as ethylene vinyl alchol (EVA). Some modem plastic alloys and their main characteristics are given in Table 1.2. 

Low density polyethylene (LDPE). This is one of the most widely used plastics. It is characterised by a density in the range 918-935 kg/m and is very tough and flexible. Its major application is in packaging him although its outstanding dielectric properties means it is also widely used as an electrical insulator. Other applications include domestic ware, tubing, squeeze bottles and cold water tanks. 

Throughout this chapter the viscoelastic behaviour of plastics has been described and it has been shown that deformations are dependent on such factors as the time under load and the temperature. Therefore, when structural components are to be designed using plastics, it must be remembered that the classical equations which are available for the design of springs, beams, plates, cylinders, etc., have all been derived under the assumptions that... 

All chemists use models. Beginning chemistry students use plastic models to help them understand and visualize the structures of molecules. Recently, both students and experienced researchers have begun to use chemical drawing programs for the same purpose. 

TPEs from blends of rubber and plastics constitute an important category of TPEs. These can be prepared either by the melt mixing of plastics and rubbers in an internal mixer or by solvent casting from a suitable solvent. The commonly used plastics and rubbers include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), nylon, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), natural rubber (NR), butyl rubber, nitrile rubber, etc. TPEs from blends of rubbers and plastics have certain typical advantages over the other TPEs. In this case, the required properties can easily be achieved by the proper selection of rubbers and plastics and by the proper change in their ratios. The overall performance of the resultant TPEs can be improved by changing the phase structure and crystallinity of plastics and also by the proper incorporation of suitable fillers, crosslinkers, and interfacial agents. 

Silt and clay are fine-grained soils in which individual particle size cannot be readily distinguished with the unaided eye. Some classification systems distinguish these particles by size, other systems use plasticity to classify these particles. 

One method that can be used to overcome most of the environment-induced problems is to use plastic tubing to shield the beam. This tubing can be placed between the transmitter and receiver of the optical-alignment fixture. It should be sized to permit transmission and reception of the light beam, but small enough to prevent distortion caused by atmospheric or environmental conditions. Typically, 2-inch, thin-wall tubing provides the protection required for most applications. 

Chemical reduction is used extensively nowadays for the deposition of nickel or copper as the first stage in the electroplating of plastics. The most widely used plastic as a basis for electroplating is acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene co-polymer (ABS). Immersion of the plastic in a chromic acid-sulphuric acid mixture causes the butadiene particles to be attacked and oxidised, whilst making the material hydrophilic at the same time. The activation process which follows is necessary to enable the subsequent electroless nickel or copper to be deposited, since this will only take place in the presence of certain catalytic metals (especially silver and palladium), which are adsorbed on to the surface of the plastic. The adsorbed metallic film is produced by a prior immersion in a stannous chloride solution, which reduces the palladium or silver ions to the metallic state. The solutions mostly employed are acid palladium chloride or ammoniacal silver nitrate. The etched plastic can also be immersed first in acidified palladium chloride and then in an alkylamine borane, which likewise form metallic palladium catalytic nuclei. Colloidal copper catalysts are of some interest, as they are cheaper and are also claimed to promote better coverage of electroless copper. 

A similar product is available for domestic use. Plastic containers hold a eutectic solution, and these are frozen down by placing these elements in the domestic deep-freeze cabinet. Once frozen, they can be used in picnic baskets, etc., for the short-term storage of cold foods, wines, ice cream, etc. 

Fig. 1-11 For any gain, there could be a loss not originally included in design performance using plastic or any other material.

A hard-and-fast rule to be followed by all intending to use plastics is to design for plastics. As an example, for the same-size cross-section the strength of conventional plastics (not the high-performance reinforced types) is considerably less than that of most metals. The designer will thus find it necessary to increase thickness, introduce stiffening webs, and/or possibly use design inserts of various types of threads to secure the proposed product. The process will in some instances also require modification to the shape of the equipment used to produce the product. 

Using plastics under impulse loading conditions requires a careful design approach. Test data taken with high-speed testing... 

The space environment, seen as beginning in the center of the earth, extends to infinity. In the past few decades outer space has been penetrated. These initial successful steps depended on a number of factors, one of which was the use of plastics. As in terrestrial uses, plastics have their place in space. 

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