Plastics Technical Information

Basics of...Plastics

Plastic (organic polymer) is defined as a material whose basic constituent is manufactured synthetically or semi-synthetically from monomer, largely organic molecules (such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen or nitrogen). However, plastics can also contain inorganic constituents such chlorine, fluorine or sulphur.

One of the outstanding characteristics of plastics is that their technical properties (such as hardness, elasticity, breaking strength, temperature resistance, thermal dimensional stability, chemical resistance etc.) can be varied within wide limits by the selection of raw materials, the manufacturing process and modification using additives

	Heat Deflection	Melting	Tensile	Impact
Material	Temperature (°F)	Point (°F)	Strength	Strength	Machinability	Applications
ABS	220	220	Good	Excellent	Good	Prototyping, Enclosures, Bins,
Acetal Copolymer	220	335	Good	Good	Good	Scraper Blades, Bearings. Bushings, Gears
Acetal Homopolymer	250	347	Excellent	Good	Good	Scraper Blades, Bearings. Bushings, Gears
Acrylic	195	N/A	Excellent	Poor	Good	Glazing, Windows, POP Display, Signs
CPVC	198	N/A	Good	Good	Excellent	Tanks, Valve Bodies, Hoods, Ducts
ETFE (Tefzel)	N/A	491	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Cryogenic Applications, Valves, Gaskets, Bearings
High-Impact Polystyrene	183	N/A	Poor	Good	Poor	Thermoforming, Display, Signs, Prototyping
Nylon Extruded 6/6	200	500	Excellent	Good	Poor	Wear Pads, Gears, Sheaves, Bearings
PEEK	320	644	Excellent	Good	Good	Valve Seats, Pump Wear Rings, Seals
PET	240	491	Excellent	Poor	Good	Pistons, Distribution Valves, Manifolds
PETG	157	N/A	Good	Good	Good	Thermoforming, POP Displays, Signs
Polyamide-imide (Torlon 4301 )	534	N/A	Excellent	Good	Good	Sliding Compressor Vanes, Sockets, Bearing Cages
Polycarbonate	270	N/A	Good	Excellent	Poor	Security Glazing, Guards, Signs
Polyetherimide (Ultem or PEI)	N/A	400	Excellent	Poor	Excellent	Insulators, Medical Devices, Analytical Interments
Polyethylene High Density (HDPE)	176	260	Poor	Poor	Excellent	Tanks, Orthotic & Prosthetic Devices
Polyethylene Low Density (LDPE)	N/A	244	Poor	Excellent	Excellent	Die Pads, Hinges, Orthotic & Prosthetic Devices
Ultra-High Molecular Weight (UHMW)	116	275	Poor	Excellent	Excellent	Food Handling, Scraper Blades, Slippery
Polypropylene	212	305	Good	Good	Excellent	Chemical Tanks & Parts, Hoods, Die Cutting
PTFE	132	635	Poor	Good	Excellent	Seals, Spacers, Washers, Slippery Applications
PVC Type II	160	N/A	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Ducts, Valves, Heat Deflection, Corrosion Resistant
PVC Type l	165	181	Good	Poor	Excellent	Ducts, Housings, Chemical Resistant
PVDF (Kynar)	291	336	Good	Good	Poor	Valves, Pumps, Nozzles, High Purity

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