Question

How do you classify plastics?

Answer 1

Plastics:

1. Plastic is a polymer just like synthetic fibers which can be moulded into desired shape and size when soft and can be hardened to produce durable articles.
2. The term ‘Plastic’ was derived from the word ‘Plasticos’ which means 'to Mold' in Greek, and it is used to refer to a wide range of semi-synthetic or synthetic organic polymers.
3. Different types of plastics are known to possess different physical and chemical properties. Many articles like chairs, tables, buckets, toys, etc. are made of plastic material.

Properties of plastics:

1. They are light in weight and are chemically stable.
2. Easily moulded into different shapes and sizes.
3. Good insulation and low thermal conductivity.
4. Good impact resistance and they do not rust.
5. Good transparency and wear resistance.
6. Poor dimensional stability and can be easily deformed.

Plastics can be classified based on four important characteristics. They are:

1. Chemical structure.
2. Polarity.
3. Applications.

Based on the chemical structure and the temperature, the plastics are classified as:

1. Elastomers
2. Thermoplastic
3. Thermosets

Based on the thermoplastic materials, the plastics are classified as:

1. Engineering plastics
2. Standard plastics
3. Special plastics
4. High-performance plastics

Based on the monomer types, the plastics are classified as:

1. Homopolymer.
2. Copolymer.