Once you have a new product or Pet Preform Mould prototype, how do you decide which plastic is right for you? What does “plastic” mean? To help you organize the chaotic letters of chemical names, acronyms, and trade names, let's classify injectable plastics into convenient groups.
polymer
This is a general category describing natural and artificial long chain molecules. For our purposes, let us assume that they are based on oil. Now, you will hear that the prefix "poly -" is used extensively, it comes from the "mult" in Greek. A polymer is a plurality of "-mers", or parts, joined together to form a chain. These chains are very convenient for making useful materials with a variety of properties.
Thermoformed polymer
This group of plastic compounds is plastic at temperatures above a certain temperature and solidifies after cooling. Therefore, almost all thermoplastics can be injection molded and recycled. Additives can profoundly change mechanical and chemical properties. How many thermoplastics are available? More than 20,000 people, this number is growing. In this group you will find acrylic, nylon, ABS, polystyrene (styrofoam) and various transparent polycarbonates.
Thermoset polymer
As the name suggests, these polymers are usually cured or cured by heat, but this is not always the case. These are the types of plastics that undergo irreversible chemical changes. Once they form and stabilize, the process is irreversible. This allows thermoset plastics to be used in applications that require higher heat resistance. They are usually stronger, but more brittle than thermoformed plastics. This group includes a variety of resins and epoxy resins that are mixed together for home repair. Other examples are polyurethanes, vulcanized rubbers, polyesters and melamine. Many, but not all, thermoset plastics are suitable for injection molding. Please note that a major subgroup of thermoset plastics is elastomers that form a variety of cured and uncured rubbers.
glass
Technically, any stable amorphous solid (ie, no crystal structure is formed) can be considered glass, although we tend to consider only transparent silica for windows and glasses. For injection purposes, glass fibers are typically added to petroleum-based polymers to improve mechanical properties such as glass filled ABS, nylon or, of course, glass fibers.
Now, which material should you choose for the next project? This choice depends on a variety of considerations, including aesthetics, economics, and performance. Please contact us immediately to hear advice from a professional China Pet Bottle manufacturer on your next project.