Get to know more about thermoplastic resin polymers whose use is required in many fields. Do you know some of the types of substances used in the industry out there? One type of substance is called thermoplastic resin. This substance was first used in the 1800s. The unique characteristic possessed by this substance is that it can melt and soften when it gets hot. Want to know more about this one substance? Let’s take a closer look.
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What is Thermoplastic Resin?
Do you already know about the application of this polymer substance? Maybe you’ve heard of it. But do not understand what the material is used for. Thermoplastic resins are made from mixing molecules of artificial polymer chains of petroleum origin. This polymer also has several types. More details will be explained.
Giving the name ‘resin’ to this compound refers to the meaning of the word compound in liquid form and also in solid form. These compounds are called pellets. Then the pellets are heated until they melt, and then the final product is formed.
As already mentioned, the thermoplastic resin will melt when heated to high temperatures. This makes it easier to turn them into the final product. But when it’s cold, this compound will return to its original shape (hard again). With these characteristics, this compound is often used in the manufacture of injections.
The process of making the final product using this thermoplastic resin compound must go through a process of injection, blowing, and rotational molding. The use of this compound is needed in various industrial fields. For this reason, this substance is predicted to be able to replace glass and metal materials in several industrial products.
Broadly speaking, this compound has several types. It is starting from the type of acrylic to polycarbonate. The use of each type is different. For example, this type of acrylic, its use can be on windows, aquariums, and even medicines. Nylon types, it’s used in machine screws, gears, and so on. Remarkably, this compound is used in almost every industry.
Type of Thermoplastic Resin
Acrylic-type thermoplastic resin has the characteristic that it is easy to form when heated. And when it’s cold, its shape will change back to its original shape. This surely can be done many times without changing the chemical structure of the compound. The following describes other types of thermoplastic resin compounds.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
PVC or better known as the material for making paralog, is also included in this resin compound. The advantage of this type is that it is resistant to chemicals, namely acids, bases, antioxidants, and oils. PVC has good mechanical strength.
Thermoplastic materials do not process this type to 100%, but it is the most widely used material in several industries. The use of this compound, among others, in the toy industry, shoes, and even building construction.
PE (Polyethylene)
Have you ever paid attention to home furniture made of PE? Polyethylene is often used for household appliances. For example, products such as bowls, can coatings, pots, and many more.
Call it Polyethylene resin, and this compound is often also used in accessories for safety products. For example, this resin can be a raw material for making bulletproof vest products. In addition, many other products also use this compound, such as cables.
EVA (Ethyl-vinyl Acetate)
EVA resin is made of rubber, so it is often referred to as a waterproof resin. This type has a characteristic, namely its adhesive properties are quite good. A brief explanation of this EVA resin is that it comes from an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. This resin is often used in the field of lamination.
Another advantage of this type of resin is that it is resistant to low temperatures. In addition, other advantages are that it is transparent, quite flexible, and elastic or easy to adjust to shape. The use of this type of thermoplastic resin is on asphalt, paper, and cardboard.
PS (Polystyrene)
The next type of resin is PS or Polystyrene, which has good transparency characteristics. Another advantage that exists in this type of resin is its resistance to weathering and impact. Polymerization, or change in polymer form, occurs when the suspension is heated in water.
The use of PS type resin is found in toy products, vehicle parts such as cars, to household appliances. Predictably, this polymer is a versatile compound. Why is that? Because this compound can be used in three different ways. These include crystals (ordinary polystyrene), glass-like polystyrene, and polystyrene foam.
Advantages of Using Thermoplastic Resins
This polymer is often used in almost every industrial activity. However, the type used as above will be adjusted according to the needs of its use. Following are some of the advantages of using this polymer resin.
Odorless, smoky, and even toxic. This polymer is highly recyclable. In addition, this polymer has the advantage of being dimensionally stable. Even though it has a plastic-based name, its products can still be recycled.
Those are some important points regarding thermoplastic resins, which are widely used in various fields. Agriculture is no exception, which uses this polymer as production support equipment.