Polymers, Plastic & Rubber

Plastic and rubber materials are made from the same family of polymers. The polymers are mixed with a complex mixture of materials known as additives. Rubbers are elastomers, these are polymers with an elastic property. This elasticity differentiates rubbers from plastics. Elastic means that the material can be stretched and, when released, returns to within at least 90% of its original dimensions and shape within a period of time, at room temperature.

A polymer is a material or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic and natural polymers play essential and ubiquitous roles in everyday life. Polymers range from familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are fundamental to biological structure and function. Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are created via polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers. Their resulting large molecular mass, relative to small molecule compounds, produces unique physical properties including toughness, high elasticity, viscoelasticity, and a tendency to form amorphous and semicrystalline structures rather than crystals. Used in different kind of fields;

Clothing, sportswear and accessories: polyester and PVC clothing, spandex, sport shoes, wetsuits, footballs and billiard balls, skis and snowboards, rackets, parachutes, sails, tents and shelters.
Electronic and photonic technologies: organic field effect transistors (OFET), light emitting diodes (OLED) and solar cells, television components, compact discs (CD), photoresists, holography.
Packaging and containers: films, bottles, food packaging, barrels.
Insulation: electrical and thermal insulation, spray foams.
Construction and structural applications: garden furniture, PVC windows, flooring, sealing, pipes.
Paints, glues and lubricants: varnish, adhesives, dispersants, anti-graffiti coatings, antifouling coatings, non-stick surfaces, lubricants.
Car parts: tires, bumpers, windshields, windscreen wipers, fuel tanks, car seats.
Household items: buckets, kitchenware, toys (e.g., construction sets and Rubik's cube).
Medical applications: blood bag, syringes, rubber gloves, surgical suture, contact lenses, prosthesis, controlled drug delivery and release, matrices for cell growth.
Personal hygiene and healthcare: diapers using superabsorbent polymers, toothbrushes, cosmetics, shampoo, condoms.
Security: personal protective equipment, bulletproof vests, space suits, ropes.
Separation technologies: synthetic membranes, fuel cell membranes, filtration, ion-exchange resins.
Money: polymer banknotes and payment cards.
3D printing.

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as the main component. Their malleability allows plastics to be molded, extruded or extruded into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, as well as many other properties such as lightness, durability, flexibility, and low cost production, have led to its widespread use. Plastics are usually produced using human industrial systems. Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals such as natural gas or oil; however, recent industrial methods use variants made from renewable materials such as corn or cotton derivatives. Plastic types;

Low density polyethylene (LDPE)
High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
polypropylene (PP)
Polystyrene (PS)
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Polyurethane (PUR)
PP&A Fibers

Synthetic rubber is a man-made elastomer. They are polymers synthesized from the by-products of petroleum refinery. About 32 million metric tons of rubber are produced annually in the United States, of which two-thirds are synthetic. Synthetic rubber, like natural rubber, is widely used in the automotive industry for gaskets, hoses, belts, floor mats and floor coverings such as tires, door and window profiles, O-rings and gaskets. They have a wide range of physical and chemical properties and can therefore increase the reliability of a particular product or application. Synthetic rubbers are superior to natural rubbers in two main ways: thermal stability and resistance to oils and related compounds. They are more resistant to oxidizing agents such as oxygen and ozone, which can shorten the life of products such as tires. Types are;

polyisoprene, prepared by polymerization of isoprene
chloroprene, prepared by polymerization of 2-chlorobutadiene
nitrile rubber made from cyanobutadiene or 2-propenenitrile and butadiene

Silicone rubber
Silicone rubber is also a synthetic elastomer composed of silicone polymers. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry and come in several formulations. Silicone rubbers are usually one or two component polymers and may contain fillers to improve properties or reduce cost. Silicone rubber is generally non-reactive, stable and resistant to extreme environmental conditions and temperatures.

Natural rubber, coming from latex of Hevea brasiliensis, is mainly poly-cis-isoprene.

Synthetic rubber, like other polymers, is made from various petroleum-based monomers.

Some synthetic rubbers are less sensitive to ozone cracking than NR. Natural rubber is sensitive owing to the double bonds in its chain structure, but some synthetic rubbers do not possess these bonds and so are more resistant to ozone cracking. Examples include Viton rubber, EPDM and butyl rubber.

A new class of synthetic rubber is the thermoplastic elastomers which can be molded easily unlike conventional NR vulcanized rubber. Their structure is stabilized by cross-linking by crystallites in the case of polyurethanes or by amorphous domains in the case of SBS block copolymers.