10 different types of plastic

Plastic is as varied as it is malleable. As a man-made substance, plastic can be created to almost any specification, and each type of plastic has its own particular functions and uses, from elastic to rigid. Here is a list of 10 plastics associated with injection molding and their properties:

* Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene, (ABS), Thermoplastic. ABS is often used in the automotive industry for consoles, panels, trim, and vents. It is both strong and flexible, chemically resistant, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. It is also often used for boxes, pressure gauges, casings, asthma inhalers, and toys.
* Allyl Resin, (Allyl), Thermosetting Polycondensate. Allyl is primarily used as an adhesive for laminate materials. It hardens upon curing, and allylic prepolymer-based compounds are reinforced with glass, fabric, or acrylic fibers to improve their properties. This is an essentially colorless resin, so it can be made into a variety of colors.
* Cellulose, thermoplastic modified natural polymeric substance. This is a tough compound and is often used in handles, eyeglass frames, anything that requires strength. It is a transparent compound and has a high manufacturing cost.
* Ethylene vinyl alcohol, (E/VAL), Thermoplastic polymer. This compound has been around in mass production capacity since 1945. It is often used in textile packaging, but is also used as a coating in construction, as it has good barrier properties for gases and aromatic materials.
* Liquid Crystal Polymer, (LCP), Thermoplastic. LCP is an expensive material, but it is very strong and is chemically resistant and heat resistant. It is often used in electronics for connectors and in the medical industry as surgical devices.
* Nylon (Polyamide 6(PA6); Polyamide 6/6(PA66); Polyamide 11+12(PA11+12), Nylon is a common material used in everyday products. It is strong, durable and varies in color from milky white to almost clear.
* Polycarbonate, (PC), Thermoplastic polycondensate. This is a material that we come into contact with on a regular basis. It is resistant, stable and transparent. Used for bottles, car parts, casings and helmets to name just a few, this material is expensive but is often used in mass production.
* Polyester, thermoplastic or thermosetting polycondensate. This is a strong, rigid, heat and chemical resistant property. It is used for electrical components, gears, wheels, and in the automotive industry.
* Polystyrene, (PS), thermoplastic polymer. Polystyrene can refer to two different types. General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS) is the cheap, brittle material often used to package products in boxes. High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) is tough, has impact resistance, and is translucent. It is used from electrical components to food containers and toys.
* Polyurethane (PU), thermoplastic or thermosetting (typically reinforced), polyadduct. This is a unique material in that it offers a great amount of strength while retaining a certain amount of elasticity. They are often used in foam products.

There is an incredible variety of plastics available to the plastic injection molding trade. Each one retaining its own particular properties, strengths and weaknesses, it is not surprising that we see elements around us on a daily basis that have come to us through this process.