What is plastic?
Plastic, polymeric material that has the capability of being molded
or shaped, usually by the application of heat and pressure. The Greek word plasticós means "to mold." The
properties of plastic, such as low density, low electrical conductivity,
transparency, and toughness, allows plastic to be made into a great variety of
products. The plastic products include:
Tough and lightweight beverage bottles made of polyethylene
terephthalate (PET).
Flexible garden hoses made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Insulating food containers made of foamed polystyrene.
Plastics are synthetic materials, which means that they are
artificial, or manufactured.
1. Crude oil, the unprocessed oil that comes out from the ground,
contains different hydrocarbons. The job of oil refinery is to break down large
hydrocarbons into smaller ones.
2. A petrochemical plant receives refined oil containing the small
monomers they need and creates polymers through polymerization.
3. A plastics factory buys the end products of a petrochemical plant
which are resins, then molds to form the final plastic products.
How
to make plastic: polymerization
Ethylene is a small hydrocarbon consisting of four hydrogen atoms
and two carbon atoms with carbon-carbon double bond.
During the polymerization, monomers combine to form polymer chains.
When ethylene is polymerized will get a polyethylene resin.
Resins are sold to plastic factories, usually in the form of powder,
tiny granules, or pellets.
A monomer from oil- This one is hydrocarbonethylene.
A polymer -polyethylene -
made of ethylene monomers.
These pellets, or resins, are chains of
polymers if you look at them on a molecular level.
Uses
of plastic
Plastic is so versatile because it can be rigid, tough and flexible.
Plastics play an important part in our life. Plastics have the unique
capability to be manufactured to meet very specific functional needs for consumers.
The end products of plastic are lightweight and also have good thermal and
electrical insulation properties and also corrosion resistant. Plastics are
also easy to mold into complex shapes and forms, allowing integration of
different materials and functions.
Packaging
Plastics packaging protects and preserves
perishable food for longer. The barrier properties of plastics ensure that food
keeps its natural taste while protecting it from external contamination. Plastic
packaging protects against contamination of foods and medicine and helps
prevent the spreading of germs during manufacture, distribution and display such
as plastics pill capsules.
Electronics
Due to the thermal and insulating properties of plastic, plastics
are used with electronic devices. The ability of plastics to isolate electrical
currency, combined with the resistance to mechanical shocks, stress,
flexibility and durability. Plastic as a vital applications for safety,
reliable and efficient power supplies.
Transportation
Plastic is an important material when making modes of transportation
because it is tough, resistant to corrosion, durable, lightweight, and easy to
colour. Plastic is found in the fenders, bumpers, trunk lids, housings for
headlights and side view mirrors, grilles, hoods, doors, and wheel covers.
Lastly,
plastics are eco-friendly because it can be recycled according to the recycle
code.
In conclusion, plastic is an organic chemical compound which brings convenient and usages in our daily life. Plastic can be recycled, so it would not harm our environment.
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