Plastic Materials
There are a wide variety of resins available to the plastic extrusion industry, but two major categories in particular make up the large majority of resins – thermosets and thermoplastics.
A vast number of plastic materials make up subgroups of thermosets and thermoplastics. These include, but are not exclusive to, many different types of plastic and resins that Plastic Extrusion Technologies uses to create products for our clients, such as:
- ABS – a type of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene plastic
- Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene or ABS is a tough, heat-resistant engineering plastic that is commonly used in appliances, pipe fittings, and automotive parts. ABS is a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer modified by butadiene rubber. It combines the resilience of polybutadiene with the rigidity and impact strength of polystyrene.
- PC/ABS – a polycarbonate/ABS composite
- Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, or PC/ABS, is a mix of Polycarbonate and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene providing an unique combination of processability and mechanical properties such as high impact and heat resistance. PC/ABS have excellent low temperature toughness, which makes them ideal for products that need a wide range of temperatures.
- Acrylic – a clear plastic that often resembles glass
- Extruded acrylic is a malleable and low cost form of acrylic. Extruded acrylic sheets are transparent and moisture-resistant. It is clearer than glass and will not yellow after being in sun exposure. It is also easy to bend, cut, glue, and polish, making it ideal in greenhouses, sheds, garages, and indoor applications.
- Hytrel – an elastomer with the flexible properties of rubber
- Hytrel® thermoplastic facilitates the design of a variety of parts and products by combining features of both high-performance elastomers and flexible plastic materials. Hytrel® has the ability to flex and recover. It has excellent flex fatigue resistance and spring-like properties, as well as exceptional toughness.
- Flexible PVC & Rigid PVC – Often used in construction, for tubing or as wire
- Polyvinyl Chloride is used in the plumbing and construction industry to produce custom profiles, pipes for drinking and wastewater, cable insulation, and medical devices. It is known as one of the most versatile and cost-effective materials. PVC can be manufactured to be a very soft plastic through the extrusion process with the use of a plasticizer and additives.
- Polypropylene – Excellent impact resistance in cold weather applications
- Polypropylene is ideal for tough, robust products such as protective car bumpers, medical tools, and cold-weather gear. It also can be engineered into a wide range of packaging that helps protect products such as medicine to food.
- Polyethylene – High and Low density Polyethylene resins are known for their high chemical resistance properties
- High-Density Polyethylene, or HDPE, is often used in entirely different products than Low-Density Polyethylene, or LDPE. LDPE is used in plastic packaging and food packaging such as plastic bags, food containers, and plastic wrap. HDPE is used in construction and heavy duty products such as the fabrication of drain pipes.
- TPR/TPO – Thermal Plastic Rubber / Olefin resins used most often in automotive and sealing gasket applications. Excellent cold temperature properties. Also a good alternative to certain thermoset rubbers. Able to be colored.
- Thermoplastic olefins, or TPOs, are a group of polymer-blend plastics. TPOs consist of a mix of a thermoplastic like polypropylene, an elastomer such as EPDM, and fillers. Because there are so many possible formulations, olefins are a very versatile group of thermoplastics that find use in many applications and plastic products.
- Nylon 6 – Resin known for its toughness and resistance to wear
- Nylon 6 is an abrasion-resistant material and is very tough. It has better surface appearance and material properties compared to nylon 6/6. It can be molded about 80 degrees F lower with less mold shrinkage because it is less crystalline. Nylon 6 has a lower modulus and absorbs moisture more rapidly than nylon 6/6. Moisture reduces tensile strength and stiffness and increases elongation.
- Noryl – Resin with excellent electrical characteristics. Good for high temperature applications where RPVC fails.
- Noryl® exhibits low moisture absorption, which provides excellent insulating properties and dimensional stability over different levels of humidity and temperature. Noryl® has great electrical insulating properties and long-term dimensional stability due to low moisture absorption.
- Resin that has excellent impact resistance and clarity
- Polycarbonate polymers are used to produce a variety of materials and are useful when impact resistance is a requirement. PC is commonly used for lenses in eyeglasses, medical devices, automotive parts, protective gear, and exterior lighting fixtures. A major attribute of thermoplastics is that they can be heated to their melting point, cooled, and reheated again without significant degradation. Thermoplastics like Polycarbonate liquefy, which allows them to be used in injection molding.