How do we make plastic?
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The manufacture of plastic material requires knowledge of chemistry and some specific machines. The Tarpaulins-Direct Blog offers you today to go behind the scenes to discover the stages of manufacturing plastic, the raw material of our products. Follow the guide!
The different ways of making plastic
Do you know what plastics are made of? Plastic is an organic material, so it consists of carbon atoms, fluoride, oxygen and chlorine.
In the first place, it is necessary to start on a polymer clay base which is a rather rudimentary and artisanal technique. But, the most used method is undoubtedly that based on polystyrene and acetone. It makes it possible to create a handy plastic, flexible, deformable at will. Indeed, it can have several forms and aspects. It can also be coloured. This is the process used for plastic bottles.
It is the polymerization process that makes the liquid product otherwise called naphtha (from a transformation of petroleum) into a solid product. In the presence of catalysts, monomers are able to assemble to form macromolecules (molecules with at least 1000 atoms). This is partly what makes the plastic so strong and shock resistant.
What about petrochemicals ?
It still has a future because oil is also a vital resource for petrochemicals. It is one of the essential ingredients for making "plastic materials".
Thanks to the progress of petrochemicals and discoveries in this sector, it is now possible to meet a wide variety of plastic with different properties. As a result, procedures and starting ingredients are not identical from one plastic to another. Just think of the two main categories of plastic materials produced by distributors:
- Thermoplastics that soften in contact with a heat source such as packaging, bottles or PVC tarpaulins etc...
- Thermosets that unlike the former do not soften once they have adopted their final form. This is the case for example with the plastic used for the stove handles.
To give them the desired form, there are several methods:
- Thermoforming: This is the method most used by French plastic packaging manufacturers to form hollow objects with simple shapes such as yogurt jars.
- Injection: allows to obtain precise shapes such as cups or soles of shoes
- Extrusion: technique for making window frames, etc.
- Extrusion inflation: this is the process to produce plastic bags or tarpaulins.
In short, plastic is everywhere: in toys, high technology, media, food, fashion, art or even advertising. They can be flexible or rigid, deformable or brittle, transparent or opaque as needed.
Discover our ranges of tarpaulins for all your uses or professional activities!
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