Plastic properties from a pros and cons perspective

Thread Content

The advantages of plastic are its ease of processing and manufacturing (ease of molding); even when the geometric shape of the product is quite complex, it is relatively easy to produce as long as it can be demolded from the mold. Therefore, its efficiency is far superior to that of metal processing; especially for injection-molded products, very complex finished items can be produced in just one processing step. It can be colored as desired, or made transparent; plastics allow for the creation of colorful and beautifully transparent products. The ability to color it freely enhances its commercial value and gives it a vibrant appearance. It can be used to produce lightweight and high-strength products; compared to metal and ceramic products, it has a lower weight, better mechanical properties, and a higher specific strength (the ratio of strength to density), which enables the creation of lightweight yet high-strength items. In particular, its strength can be further improved after filling with glass fibers. Furthermore, since plastic is lightweight and helps save energy, products made from it are also becoming increasingly lightweight. Plastics do not rust or corrode easily; they are generally resistant to the corrosion of various chemicals, and they do not rust or get corroded as easily as metals. There is no need to worry about corrosion caused by acids, alkalis, salts, oils, medications, moisture, or mold when using it. Poor heat conduction and good thermal insulation: Due to plastics having a high specific heat and low thermal conductivity, they do not conduct heat easily; therefore, they provide excellent thermal insulation and heat resistance. Plastics can be used to manufacture both conductive components and insulating products; they are excellent insulating materials. It can be said that there is no electrical product that does not use plastics today. However, by filling plastic with metal powder or shavings and shaping it, products with good electrical conductivity can also be produced. Plastics exhibit excellent shock absorption and sound damping properties, as well as good light transmission; transparent plastics (such as MMA, PS, PC, etc.) can be used to manufacture transparent products (such as lenses, signs, cover plates, etc.). The cost of product manufacturing is low. Although plastic raw materials are not particularly inexpensive, the ease of processing plastic results in relatively low equipment costs, which helps to reduce the overall cost of the products. Yiqi Shuangze is China’s most professional and comprehensive platform for accessing plastic property tables, offering you the latest industry news as well as services for searching plastic property data. The disadvantages of plastics are their poor heat resistance and tendency to catch fire; these are the biggest drawbacks of plastics. Compared to metal and glass products, their heat resistance is much lower – they deform at slightly higher temperatures and are prone to burning. Most plastics produce large amounts of heat, smoke, and toxic gases when burned ； Even thermosetting resins will smoke and delaminate at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius. As the temperature changes, properties also **change**. Needless to say, this is true at high temperatures; even at low temperatures, various properties **change** as well. Its mechanical strength is low; compared to metals of the same volume, it has significantly lower mechanical strength, and this difference is particularly evident in thin products. Prone to corrosion by certain solvents and chemicals: Generally, plastics are less susceptible to corrosion by chemical substances, but some plastics (such as ABS and PS) have particularly poor resistance in this regard; under normal conditions, thermosetting resins have quite strong corrosion resistance. It has poor durability and ages easily; it is not durable in terms of strength, surface gloss, or transparency, and exhibits creep under load. Furthermore, all plastics are sensitive to ultraviolet rays and sunlight, and they age under the influence of light, oxygen, heat, water, and the atmospheric environment. Plastics, which are prone to damage and easily accumulate dust and dirt, have a relatively low surface hardness and are thus susceptible to damage. Additionally, since they are insulators, they generate static electricity, which makes them prone to attracting dust. Poor dimensional stability: Compared to metals, plastics have a high shrinkage rate, making it difficult to ensure dimensional accuracy. During use, when it becomes damp, absorbs moisture, or the temperature changes, its dimensions are prone to changing over time. This platform reproduces content for the purpose of providing more information and facilitating learning; it does not imply endorsement of its views or verification of the accuracy of its content. If there are issues related to copyright when reproducing content, please contact the editors of this platform so that the article can be revised or removed promptly. The platform assumes no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of its information and services. Source: Micro Injection Molding