Thermoplastic
Brittleness can be decreased with the addition of plasticizers, which increases the mobility of amorphous chain segments to effectively lower the glass transition temperature.
These are linear or slightly branched long chain molecules capable of repeatedly softening on heating and hardening on cooling.
It serves as a sturdy substitute for glass for items such as aquariums, buttons, motorcycle helmet visors, aircraft windows, viewing ports of submersibles, and lenses of exterior lights of automobiles.
Major players in the PMMA market are Mitsubishi Rayon (Japan), Arkema SA (France), LG MMA (South Korea), Chi Mei Corp. (Taiwan), Sumimoto Chemical Company Ltd (Japan), Evonik Industries (Germany), BASF (Germany), Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), AkzoNobel (The Netherlands), Quinn Plastics (UK) and Cytec Industries (U.S.).
It was first discovered by American polymer chemist Carl Shipp Marvel in the pursuit of new materials with superior stability, retention of stiffness, toughness at elevated temperature.
They are easily worked, molded, and thermoformed for many applications, such as electronic components, construction materials, data storage devices, automotive and aircraft parts, check sockets in prosthetics, and security glazing.
Susceptible to UV light, exposure results in yellowing (degradation is especially visible in headlamps that lost or didn't have proper protective coating).
Polyether sulfone (PES) or polysulfone is a class of specially engineered thermoplastics[6] with high thermal, oxidative, and hydrolytic stability, and good resistance to aqueous mineral acids, alkalis, salt solutions, oils and greases.
Polyoxymethylene (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde, is an engineering thermoplastic used in precision parts requiring high stiffness, low friction, and excellent dimensional stability.
Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a colourless organic thermoplastic polymer in the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family, used in engineering applications.
Polyetherimide (PEI), produced by a novel nitro displacement reaction involving bisphenol A, 4, 4’-methylenedianiline and 3-nitrophthalic anhydride, has high heat distortion temperature, tensile strength and modulus.
Principal applications of injection and compression molded PPS include cookware, bearings, and pump parts for service in various corrosive environments.
Extruded polystyrene (PS or xPS, sometimes colored pink/blue) is used in the manufacture of disposable cutlery, rigid ground contact rated insulating foam board, CD and DVD cases, plastic models of cars and boats, and smoke detector housings.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a tough, lightweight material that is durable, fairly rigid and versatile, and is resistant to acids and bases.
It is also converted to flexible forms with the addition of plasticizers, thereby making it useful for items such as hoses, tubing, electrical insulation, coats, jackets and upholstery.
As PVC bends easily and has a tendency to be bent during transit, a method to mitigate this deformation is to heat the plastic until it becomes mobile, then reform the material into the desired shape.
The original form is often referred to as unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC), which is the more commonly used type for installations such as water, waste, and sewer conveyance plumbing.
PVDF thermoplastic is fabricated into sheets and pipes for engineering uses as well as powders and coatings that can be dissolved in solvents and applied across a product surface.
PTFE is hydrophobic: aqueous liquids do not wet the material, as fluorocarbons demonstrate mitigated London dispersion forces due to the high electronegativity of fluorine.
