Plastic
general term for plastic materials
Plastic is a material that results either from the polymerisation or from the polycondensation of several substances of organic origin, like vegetable resins and casein, or inorganic, like rock oil.
There are two main categories of plastic materials: the thermosetting, and the thermoplastic ones.
Thermosetting plastic, if worked at high temperatures, harden permanently after an initial stage of temporary softening. On the contrary thermoplastic materials, when worked at high temperature, gradually melt and become a fluid liquid.
Thermosetting plastics include:
Epoxydic resins
Melamine resins
Ureic resins
Phenolic resins (bakelite)
Polyesters
Silicones
Thermoplastics include:
Polysterol
Polyvinilchloride
Polypropylene
Polycarbonates
Polyamides
Polyurethanes
Polyesters
Celluloid
Polyethylene
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