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Raw Materials
Originally, most plastics were made from resins derived from vegetable matter, such as cellulose (from cotton), furfural (from oat hulls), oils (from seeds), starch derivatives, or coal. Casein (from milk) was among the nonvegetable materials used. Although the production of nylon was originally based on coal, air, and water, and nylon 11 is still based on oil from castor beans, most plastics today are derived from petrochemicals. These oil-based raw materials are relatively widely available and inexpensive. However, because the world supply of oil is limited, other sources of raw materials, such as coal gasification, are being explored.
Synthesizing the Polymer
The first stage in manufacturing plastic is polymerisation. The two basic polymerisation processes of condensation and addition reactions may be carried out in various ways. In bulk polymerisation, the pure monomer alone is polymerised, generally either in the gaseous or liquid phase, although a few solid-state polymerisations are also used. In solution polymerisation, an emulsion is formed and then coagulated. In interfacial polymerisation, the monomers are dissolved in two immiscible liquids, and the polymerisation occurs at the interface of the two liquids.
Additives
Chemical additives are often used in plastics to produce some desired characteristic. For instance, antioxidants protect a polymer from chemical degradation by oxygen or ozone; similarly, ultraviolet stabilizers protect against weathering. Plasticisers make a polymer more flexible, lubricants reduce problems with friction, and pigments add colour. Among other additives are flame retardants and antistatics.
Many plastics are manufactured as composites. This involves a system where reinforcing material (usually fibres made of glass or carbon) is added to a plastic resin matrix. Composites have strength and stability comparable to that of metals but generally with less weight. Plastic foams, which are composites of plastic and gas, offer bulk with low weight.
Shaping and Finishing
The techniques used for shaping and finishing plastics depend on three factors: time, temperature, and flow (also known as deformation). Many of the processes are cyclic in nature, although some fall into the categories of continuous or semicontinuous operation.
One of the most widely used operations is that of extrusion. An extruder is a device that pumps a plastic through a desired die or shape. Extrusion products, such as pipes, have a regularly shaped cross section. The extruder itself also serves as the means to carry out other operations, such as blow moulding and injection moulding. In extrusion blow moulding, the extruder fills the mould with a tube, which is then cut off and clamped to form a hollow shape called a parison. The hot, molten parison is then blown like a balloon and forced against the walls of the mould to form the desired shape. In injection moulding, one or more extruders are used with reciprocating screws that move forwards to inject the melt and then retract to take on new molten material to continue the process. In injection blow moulding, which is used in making bottles for carbonated drinks, the parison is first injection moulded and then reheated and blown.
In compression moulding, pressure forces the plastic into a given shape. Another process, transfer moulding, is a hybrid of injection and compression moulding: the molten plastic is forced by a ram into a mould. Other finishing processes include calendering, in which plastic sheets are formed, and sheet forming, in which the plastic sheets are formed into a desired shape. Some plastics, particularly those with very high temperature resistance, require special fabrication procedures. For example, polytetrafluoroethene has such a high melt viscosity that it is first pressed into shape and then sintered-exposed to extremely high temperatures that bond it into a cohesive mass without melting it. Some polyamides are produced by a similar process.
Construction
The building industry is a major consumer of plastics, including many of the packaging plastics mentioned above. HDPE is used for pipes, as is PVC; PVC is also used in sheets for building materials and similar items. Many plastics are used to insulate cables and wires, and polystyrene in the form of foam serves as insulation for walls, roofs, and other areas. Other plastic products are roofing, door and window frames, mouldings, and hardware.
Health and Environmental Hazards
Because plastics are relatively inert, the final products do not normally present health hazards to the maker or user. However, some monomers used in the manufacture of plastics have been shown to cause cancer. Similarly, benzene, which is an important raw material for the synthesis of nylon, is a carcinogen. The problems involved in the manufacture of plastics parallel those of the chemical industry in general.
Most synthetic plastics are not environmentally degradable; unlike wood, paper, natural fibres, or even metal and glass, they do not rot or otherwise break down over time. (Some degradable plastics have been developed, but none has proved compatible with the conditions required for most waste landfills.) Thus, there is an environmental problem associated with the disposal of plastics. Recycling has emerged as the most practical method to deal with this problem, especially with products such as the polyethene terephlalate bottles used for carbonated drinks, where the process of recycling is fairly straightforward. More complex solutions are being developed for handling the commingled plastic scrap that constitutes a highly visible, albeit relatively small, part of the problem of solid waste disposal.
(C)opyright Microsoft Encarta
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