Field guide to the plastics?

Oct 07, 2007 2 Replies
C

or perhaps, "certain synthetics" ?



Is there such a reference, on-line or otherwise?



Given a name of a substance, one can easily find out more about it. I have realized I live surrounded by substances commonly called "plastics" but have no idea what most of them actually are, in particular the large cup "kvort" (see link) which I found out recently is quite dramatically flammable, unlike e.g. the microwave dishes and other items. Fortunately, the kvort was in a big deep sink.



formatting link


Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
M

It would be difficult for an amateur to identify most plastics with a high degree of confidence, because the properties are so dependent on the filler. Although some plastics, like the silicones and PTFE, have properties that often allow them to be identified reliably, most other plastics have diverse properties even within the same family. For example, polyurethane can be made as hard as a baseball bat or softer than a pencil eraser. Same thing for epoxy.

Vote
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required