A polymer is a substance consisting of very large molecules, or macromolecules, made up of many repetitive subunits. Because of their wide range of properties, synthetic and natural polymers play important roles in everyday life. Polymers range from ordinary plastics made like polystyrene to natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are essential for the structure and function of living organisms. Polymers, both natural and synthetic, are formed by the polymerization of many small molecules, known as monomers. Their large cellular size, in relation to small chemical molecules, produces different body structures including strength, high durability, viscoelasticity, and the tendency to form amorphous and semicrystalline structures than crystals. So, what are the raw materials for polymer production? In this article, we will take a look at the raw materials for polymer production, especially in plastics manufacturing.
Classification of Polymers
Polymers cannot be classified into a single class because of their complex structures, distinct behaviors, and extensive use. Therefore, we can classify polymers based on the following categories:
- Natural polymers
- Synthetic polymers
- Semi-synthetic polymers
- Structure of the monomer chain:
- Linear chain polymer
- Branched-chain polymer
- Cross-linked chain polymer
Types of Polymers
There are two main types of polymers on the basis of the backbone chain:
- Inorganic polymers
- Organic polymers
Materials Used for Polymers Production
Items such as fields are often represented by clay, metals, and polymers. While the marked development took place in the area of clay and metal, it is the field of polymers that has undergone a continuous explosion. Polymers have gone from being inexpensive to natural products to providing high-quality options for a wide variety of applications. Further development and economic support can be expected in the coming years.
Petroleum
Polymers are derived from petroleum, and their low cost has its roots in the supply of materials, in the ingenuity of chemical engineers who devise synthetic processes, and in the economy of scale and increased use. Less than 5 percent of the fuel tank is used for polymers, so petroleum is likely to remain a raw material for the first time in the near future. Polymers form part of the high-value base of petroleum customers and lead to increased international competition in the manufacture of goods and engineering of thermoplastics and special polymers.
Plastics
The term “plastic” is widely used in the dictionary as “polymer,” but the meaning of “polymer” is based on the size of the cells while “plastic” is defined in terms of disability. Plastics are polymeric materials that are made up of three different types, usually by forming or melting extrusion processes. They retain their structure when disabling power is removed, unlike other polymers such as elastomers, which return to their original state, depending on the temperature. Plastics are one of the materials for polymer production and are usually categorized as follows:
- Thermoplastics: Thermoplastics are polymers that soften and flow when hot and harden when cooled. This cycle can be repeated several times, resulting in recycling during production or recycling after consumer use may also use thermal processing methods such as extraction or plastic injection molding. Polymer chains in straight or branched thermoplastics and do not connect as do thermosets. While there are many different types of thermoplastics, those made of only four monomers (ethylene, propylene, styrene, and vinyl chloride) account for about 90 percent of all thermoplastics produced in the United States.
- Thermosets: Thermoset materials are widely defined as 3-dimensional, chemically resistant networks, which in various technologies are called gels, vulcanizates, or “cured” substances. Programs as numerous as coatings, touch lenses, and epoxy adhesives can be stated. Thermosets are defined as inflexible network substances, hence once the plastic design is created and shaped, thermosets can’t be melted again.
- Elastomers: Elastomers are able to experience huge and irreversible deformations as they are soft and compliant polymers. This type of elasticity is only achieved through long-chain polymers. Elastomers have less cross-linked density in comparison with thermoset plastic. Most thermosets can be made as functional as elastomers above their transition temperature. It is difficult to achieve but is possible under special circumstances. Historically, elastomers have played a crucial role in the industrialization, prosperity, and security of the United States. Synthetic elastomers were born out of necessity during World War II when the United States was cut off from most of its supplies of natural rubber in Southeast Asia. Low-temperature emulsion polymerizations were developed by plastic manufacturers to produce highly successful synthetic rubbers, particularly styrene-butadiene copolymers. In one of the most remarkable success stories in modern industry, a production capacity of 1.5 billion pounds per year was reached in 1945. This industry continues in the United State and in other industrialized countries. Annual production figures have declined in recent years owing to a number of factors, including advances in the use-life of tires.
- Fibers: A fiber may be defined as a structure whose length is much greater than its cross-sectional dimension. The diameter of fibers is characterized in dTex, a unit of linear density corresponding to the weight in grams of a 10,000-meter length of the fiber (the same units are used to describe individual filaments and multifilament yarns). Typical filament dTex values run from 1 to 10. One gram of a 1-dTex filament is over 5 miles in length.
