Advancement

Of
Plastics Technology

Submitted by: Pauleene Joyce Soriano

Program: BSCpE 101

Submitted to: Sir Roberto Gabriel Tagalog

Subject: Chemistry for Engineers

What is Plastics?

- Is material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic

compounds that are malleable and so can be molded into solid objects.
- Plastics are soft and easy to turn into many different forms during manufacture. Plastics
are (mostly) synthetic (human-made) materials, made from polymers, which are long
molecules built around chains of carbon atoms, typically with hydrogen, oxygen,
sulfur, and nitrogen filling in the spaces.

Types of Plastics:

There are many different plastics, so we need ways of making sense of them all by grouping
similar ones together.

 We can split them into natural (ones easily obtained from plants and animals) and synthetic
(ones artificially made by complex chemical processes in a factory or lab). Cellulose is a
natural polymer used for making sticky tape (among other things), where as nylon is a
synthetic polymer made in a factory.

 We can group them according to the structure of the monomers that their polymers are
made from.
 When it comes to recycling, we need to separate plastics into different kinds that can be
processed together without causing contamination. That depends on their chemical
properties, physical properties, and the polymer types from which they're made, and gives
us seven main kinds.

What do we use plastics for?

In the early 20th century, plastics were quite a novelty; there were only a handful of plastics
and very few uses. Zoom the clock forward 100 years and it's hard to find things that we don't use
plastics for. Materials science means understanding the properties of different materials so we can
use them to best advantage in the world around us. Given what we've just learned about the
properties of plastics, it comes as no surprise to find them helping us out in building construction,
clothing, packaging, transport, and in many other parts of everyday life.
 Advancement of Plastics Technology

Plastics are seemingly everywhere, and now they're showing up in technologies that could
transform the way we live.

 Industry-Altering Plastic Solar Cells

Solar cells that are made of silicon better watch out. Plastic solar cells promise to be more

affordable, efficient and versatile. In fact, plastic photo voltaic could transform almost

anything into an energy-collecting device. Imagine briefcases that could recharge mobile

phones, car bodies that could power electric motors, and roofs that could meet the energy

needs of facilities.

 Even More Affordable Plastic Electronics

With plastic electronics products now making their debut on the market in the form of

displays featuring organic light-emitting diodes, you can now get ready for the next stage

in plastic electronics. Coming up are technologies that would not be possible with silicon.

That's because, unlike silicon, plastic transistors could be manufactured using speedier

and more economical processes under less stringently regulated conditions.

 First Plastic Magnet with Commercial Potential

Scientists have recently created the world's first plastic magnet that could have practical

applications. Unlike other researchers who have developed plastic magnets that could

only function at exceedingly low temperatures or have extremely weak magnetism at

room temperature.

REFERENCES:

https://www.explainthatstuff.com/plastics.html

https://news.thomasnet.com/imt/2004/09/14/top_5_advances