Plastic is all around us. This substance, built from various types of polymers, is used to make packaging, toys, electronics, medical equipment and much more. Thermoplastic is one of several types of plastic, and this is a type of plastic that becomes malleable when it is heated up. Thermoforming companies take large sheets of plastic, heat it and transform these sheets into all sorts of packaging and products. The polymers used in these plastic sheets vary, depending on what product is being created. Here are a few of the different types of thermoplastics that commonly are used today.
If you have ever sat in an airplane or put a DVD into a DVD player, you have come into contact with one type of thermoplastic commonly known as acrylic or PMMA, which stands for Poly(methyl methacrylate). Other names for this type of plastic include Lucite and also Plexiglas, which are actually brand names. It is used to make the windows of aircraft and to make DVDs and CDs impact resistant. PMMA also is used in dental fillings and bone cement, among its medical uses. PMMA is transparent and quite strong, so it can be used in place of glass, such as in the huge aquarium enclosures at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other similar facilities.
We've all heard of nylon, but you might not really think of it as a thermoplastic. The word nylon is actually the name for a category of synthetic polymers which first were produced in the 1930s. Today, nylon is one of the most frequently used polymers because it is resilient and durable. It also is very resistant to insects, mold and mildew. One of its first uses was to create durable parachutes during World War II when silk and hemp were in short supply. It is also used to make instrument strings, rope, tents and clothing. Of course, nylon is also used in the production of panty hose, which sometimes are simply called nylons.
Teflon is yet another type of thermoplastic and certainly one that is commonly known as the substance that keeps food from sticking to our cooking pots and pans. This synthetic polymer also goes by the scientific name of Polytetrafluroethylene or PTFE. Like nylon, this fluoropolymer was invented at DuPont albeit accidentally. Scientist Roy Plunkett discovered Teflon while trying to make a new type of refrigerant. This was in 1938, but it wasn't actually used in cookware until the 1950s. It's used for more than cooking; however, it also is used to make gears, bearings, fuel lines, computer mice and items made out of Gore-Tex.
We all have seen PVC pipes, and this is yet another thermoplastic with a much longer scientific name - Poly(vinyl chloride). PVC is highly durable and very inexpensive, so it makes an excellent substitute for various types of metal pipes. In fact, about half of the world's pipes are made of PVC. Sometimes flooring, furniture and, strangely, clothing is made out of PVC. When it comes to clothing, PVC is cheap and can be produced to mimic leather or rubber clothing. The "v" in PVC stands for vinyl and many vinyl products are made with PVC, such as shower curtains, credit cards, tablecloths, straws, hoses, fencing, siding, plastic bags and many more items.
There are a few other types of thermoplastics, and consumers might not know the names, but they certainly are familiar with the products. When you buy liquid laundry detergent or buy a plastic gasoline container, these items are made out of polyethylene, which is strong enough to hold many abrasive chemicals. Many reusable and microwave-safe plastic containers are made with a type of plastic known as polypropylene. Styrofoam cups, plates and packing materials are made from a special type of thermoplastic called polystyrene.
If you have ever sat in an airplane or put a DVD into a DVD player, you have come into contact with one type of thermoplastic commonly known as acrylic or PMMA, which stands for Poly(methyl methacrylate). Other names for this type of plastic include Lucite and also Plexiglas, which are actually brand names. It is used to make the windows of aircraft and to make DVDs and CDs impact resistant. PMMA also is used in dental fillings and bone cement, among its medical uses. PMMA is transparent and quite strong, so it can be used in place of glass, such as in the huge aquarium enclosures at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other similar facilities.
We've all heard of nylon, but you might not really think of it as a thermoplastic. The word nylon is actually the name for a category of synthetic polymers which first were produced in the 1930s. Today, nylon is one of the most frequently used polymers because it is resilient and durable. It also is very resistant to insects, mold and mildew. One of its first uses was to create durable parachutes during World War II when silk and hemp were in short supply. It is also used to make instrument strings, rope, tents and clothing. Of course, nylon is also used in the production of panty hose, which sometimes are simply called nylons.
Teflon is yet another type of thermoplastic and certainly one that is commonly known as the substance that keeps food from sticking to our cooking pots and pans. This synthetic polymer also goes by the scientific name of Polytetrafluroethylene or PTFE. Like nylon, this fluoropolymer was invented at DuPont albeit accidentally. Scientist Roy Plunkett discovered Teflon while trying to make a new type of refrigerant. This was in 1938, but it wasn't actually used in cookware until the 1950s. It's used for more than cooking; however, it also is used to make gears, bearings, fuel lines, computer mice and items made out of Gore-Tex.
We all have seen PVC pipes, and this is yet another thermoplastic with a much longer scientific name - Poly(vinyl chloride). PVC is highly durable and very inexpensive, so it makes an excellent substitute for various types of metal pipes. In fact, about half of the world's pipes are made of PVC. Sometimes flooring, furniture and, strangely, clothing is made out of PVC. When it comes to clothing, PVC is cheap and can be produced to mimic leather or rubber clothing. The "v" in PVC stands for vinyl and many vinyl products are made with PVC, such as shower curtains, credit cards, tablecloths, straws, hoses, fencing, siding, plastic bags and many more items.
There are a few other types of thermoplastics, and consumers might not know the names, but they certainly are familiar with the products. When you buy liquid laundry detergent or buy a plastic gasoline container, these items are made out of polyethylene, which is strong enough to hold many abrasive chemicals. Many reusable and microwave-safe plastic containers are made with a type of plastic known as polypropylene. Styrofoam cups, plates and packing materials are made from a special type of thermoplastic called polystyrene.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell loves blogging about how stuff is made. To get further information about thermoformed packaging or to know more about industrial thermoform, please visit the Indepak website today.
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