SSCC 4743 Material Chemistry

Section 01
ASSIGNMENT TOPIC : PLASTIC
Group Members :
1.TEO HAO TING
2.WAN NOR SULAIKA BT WAN SALLEH
3.WAN NORWAHIDA BT WAN ABD RAHIM

INTRODUCTION

Greek word : Plasticos, means to be able to be shaped or be moulded by

heat.

Plastic is a polymeric material which can be moulded into any shape.

All plastics are polymers, but not all polymers are plastics. A polymer is a
chemical compound formed by a chemical reaction in which two or more
monomers are combined to form a repeating chains of structural units.

HISTORY OF PLASTIC

John Wesley Hyatt developed a cellulose derivative as the substitute for

natural ivory for commercial products such as dental plates to mens
collar in around 1860 [1].

In next few decades, Leo Hendricks Baekeland developed the first

completely synthetic plastic, which sold under the name Bakelite.

In 1920, a German chemist named Hermann Staudinger assumed that all

plastics consist of a large molecules held together by a strong chemical
bond. Many new products were designed such as Nylon(Lucite), Methyl
methacrylate(Plexigas) and polytetrafluoroethylene(Teflon)

Julian Hill discovered the application of nylon to produce silk thread fiber.

In 1953, Karl Ziegler developed polyethylene and Giulio Natta developed

polypropylene, which are the two common plastics used.

Manufacture of Plastic

Production of plastic can be divided into four categorizes:

1.

Acquiring the raw material

2.

Synthesizing the basic polymer

3.

Compounding the polymer into a material that can be fabricated

4.

Moulding or shaping the material into its final form.

Additives in Plastic Manufacture

Chemical additives can be used in the production of plastics to achieve

certain characteristics. These additives include:
i.

antioxidants to protect the polymer from degradation by ozone or oxygen

ii.

ultraviolet stabilizers to protect against weathering

iii.

lubricants to reduce friction problems

iv.

Flame retardants

v.

antistatic

Types of Plastic
Thermoset

Thermoplastic

Thermoset Plastics can only be

molded once and cannot be soften
and deformed upon heating.

Thermoplastics soften and deformed

easily upon heating and can be bent
easily.

Improve the materials mechanism

properties, enhanced chemical and
heat resistance.

Shrink-resistance and easy

bendability.

Non-recyclyable
Cost-effective
More resistant to high temperature

Recyclable
Eco-friendly manufacturing
Reshaping capabilities

Examples :
Examples :
Bakelite used for electrical handles PVC and Polythene used for toys
and switches.
and containners
Melamine used for floor tiles and
kitchen wares.

Disposal of Plastic

Degradation of polymers is induced by chemical factors which is

corrosive chemicals such as ozone or the sulphur in agrochemicals.

The effect of a solvent on the structure of the polymer material can be

significant at times. Usually, a swelling stage precedes the dissolution
process.

Dissolution is impeded by the strong intermolecular interactions

degradation
and
stabilization
of
polyethylene
between
macromolecules.

Chemical recycling is known as a pathway to convert the plastic wastes

to more usable and energy-dense materials such as gas fuel or fuel oil
for the chemical industries.

Improvement of Plastic

In 1945, Cogan and Quarles has successfully improved the plastic

composition by introduction of water insoluble polyvinyl partial acetal resins
to be used in adhesive and paints [2].

A group of Japanese researcher has improved the moisture resistance of

plastic encapsulated internal circuit by introduction of copper lead frame
materials [3].

Development and use of biodegradable polymers and water-soluble

polymers
serve as an alternative to replace plastic will bring more
advantages than drawback [4].

Application of Plastic

Packaging

Electrical &
electronic
application

Building and
construction

Medical &
health

Sports,
leisure &
design
Transportation

Packing

Lightest packaging material

reduce transportation energy, decrease emissions and lower shipping costs

reduce amount of waste generated.

Food conservation and preservation

protects and preserves perishable food for longer

reduce waste & use of preservatives while maintaining the taste and nutritional value of
food.

Safe and hygienic

protects against contaminationof foods and medicine

prevent the spreading of germs during manufacture, distribution and display.

tamper-proof closures provide additional protection & security,

transparent packaging allows people to look at food without having to touch it, cutting down

Building & Construction

Durable & corrosion resistance

Insulation

Cost efficiency

Heat insulator, prevent leakages and allow householdsto saveenergywhile

alsoreducing noise pollution.
Lesscost to produce and install, even in custom-made forms.

Minimum operation and maintenance

Easy to be installed, operated and maintained.

In the case of plastic pipes, their flexibility allows them to cope with soil movements.

Examples : Insulator, Piping, Window frame and Interior design.

Transportation

Used as internal parts of a vehicle

The weight of a car can be reduced as plastic is lighter than metal. Therefore, the
petroleum consumption can be reduced by 7.5%.

Used as externally plastic:

Durable, do not easily corrode and require little maintenance

Allow freedom of design & economical manufacture

Used as Internal plastics fittings:

Dashboards, flooring, seats & faces

Maintain attractive appearance

Easy to clean

Electronics

Resource-efficiency

Polymers can help store energy for longer

Invisible resource efficiency takes place by design flexibility of plastic parts inside
household equipment

Example : Lye container in washing machine, reduce water consumption

Resistance

Serve as electrical insulator, combined with resistance to mechanical shock and

stress as well as flexibility & durability

Examples: Cables, household appliance and smartphones

Medical and Healthcare

Used as capsules for drug:

Tartaric acid-based polymer : gradually breaks down, slowly release active

gradients over longer period of time.

Used as hearing aids

Consist of numerous components - a microphone, a transmission device

connected to a micro-computer worn on the body, a stimulator & an electrode
carrier with 16 electrodes for 16 different frequency ranges.

Sports, Leisure and Design

Used as sports footwear : running shoes that weight just a few grams yet provide the
strength & suppleness

Used in racquets : Plastics are light and strong with excellent shock-absorbing systems.