| Plastics comes from the Greek word plastikos, which | | | | polymers and synthetic polymers. In natural polymer, |
| means to form or to mold. However, plastics do not | | | | the selection of molecules and the process of |
| have a uniformly defined term. Some people define | | | | chemical bonding occur naturally - thus giving us |
| plastics in a narrower sense in which they focus on | | | | materials like wood, leather, cotton, rubber, hair, etc. |
| specific properties, others take a broader approach | | | | In synthetic polymers, the selection of molecules and |
| that includes various manufacturing processes. | | | | the chemical bonding process is man-made. This gives |
| Let's start by looking at plastics as a material. | | | | us material like nylon, polyester and polyethylene. It's |
| Plastics materials are composed of large molecules | | | | worth noting that some synthetic polymers can be |
| (polymers) that are synthetically made or modified. | | | | "manufactured copies" of natural occurring materials - |
| Firstly, take a moment to think about all the material | | | | e.g. synthetic rubber. Modifying the chemical bonding |
| available in this world. You will soon realize these | | | | process is another example of how celluloid or |
| materials fall into one of three categories: liquids, | | | | cellophane is synthetic ally modified to an extent that |
| gases and solids. While noting that most materials can | | | | the natural polymer characteristic of cellulose is |
| be converted from one state to another through | | | | altered. |
| heating or cooling, let's narrow our scope on materials | | | | These are the methods of how synthetic polymers |
| that remain solid in room temperature. You are left | | | | are formed:o do not occur naturallyo occur naturally |
| with metals (iron, copper, gold, etc.), ceramics | | | | but made by non-natural processeso modified natural |
| (stones, clay, etc.) and polymers. | | | | processes |
| A polymer is a large molecule made up of smaller | | | | In short, all synthetic polymers are considered |
| molecules that are joined together by chemical | | | | plastics. The industrial term for plastics raw material is |
| bonding. Polymers can be divided into natural | | | | known as plastics resins. |