plastics

Question 1

Plastic properties

Answer 1

Lightweight
Durable
Insulating
Mouldable
Emulating
Cost effective
Corrosion resistant
Recyclable
tensile strength

Question 2

Plastic definition

Answer 2

synthetic or semi-synthetic material made from oil-based polymers

Question 3

Two kinds of plastic

Answer 3

Thermoplastic
Thermosetting plastic

Question 4

Thermoplastics

Answer 4

Can be reheated/remoulded without causing chemical changes, generally can be recycled

PVC (20% of all plastic
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
Acrylic
Nylon
Teflon
Polycarbonate

Question 5

Thermosetting

Answer 5

Also called thermosets
High temperatures used to cure the material - harder/more resistant to temp

Cannot be remoulded, often impossible to recycle

Epoxy
Often composites
Vinylester
Polyurethane
Fibreglass

Question 6

Flammability

Answer 6

Grenfell Tower fire, London 2017

Aluminum Composite panels (polyethylene) - highly flammable and toxic

Insulating air cavity operated like a chimney - drew the fire up the building very quickly

Was within building code at the time

Question 7

Thermosetting plastic

Question 8

Bioplastics

Answer 8

Made from sources other than oil/gas
Starch, cellulose, sugar cane

SOME are biodegradable IF DISPOSED properly

Often break down into microplastics

Question 9

Bioplastics pros

Answer 9

Reduce fossil fuel dependence
Lower carbon footprint and CO2 emissions
Biodegradable if disposed correctly
Encourage better disposal techniques

Question 10

Bioplastics negatives

Answer 10

Competition with food production
Higher production cost
Limited biodegradability
Lack of standardisation
Technical performance limitations
Contamination of traditional recycling processes