Plastics Chooser Chart
|
Common Name |
Properties |
Uses |
Common Forms |
Cost |
Rigid PVC
(poly vinyl chloride) |
Wide range of colours. Stiff,hard. Tough at room temperature.
Can be used outdoors if suitably stabilised. Light weight. Very
good acid and alkali resistance. Particularly good for fabricating.
Thermoplastic |
Pipes, guttering and fittings. Bottles and containers. Curtain
rails. Roofing sheets. Shoe soles. Brush bristles. |
Powders. Pastes. Liquids. Sheets. Wide range of colours. |
Medium |
Polystyrene
(high impact polystyrene) |
Not tough. Comes in a wide range of colours.
Thermoplastic |
Good for vacuum forming. Join using a liquid polystyrene cement. |
Shell forms for containers, model boats and model cars. |
Low |
ABS
(acrylonitrile
butadienestyrene) |
Stiff, strong and tough. Scratches easily. Comes in a wide range
of colours.
Thermoplastic. |
Frameworks and mechanical parts, links, cams and wheels |
easy to cut and trim using liquid solvent cement. |
Medium |
Nylon
( Polyamide) |
Hard, tough, rigid, creep resistant. Good bearing surface. Self-lubricating.
Resistant to oil,fuels and chemicals. High melting point. Very resilient.
Wear and friction resistant.
Thermoplastic |
Gear wheels, bearings, automotive, agricultural, general communications
and telecommunications equipment parts. Power tool casings. Curtain
rail fittings, packaging, film, clothing, combs. |
Powder,granules, chips, rods, tubes, sheet, extruded sections.
Usually white or cream. Other colours including black obtainable. |
High |
Polyester resin
(Unsaturated polyester resin) |
Good electrical insulator, good heat resistance. Stiff, hard,
brittle alone but strong and resilient when laminated. Resistant
to ultraviolet light for outside use. Strongly exothermic, this
can lead to cracking. Contracts on curing.
Thermosetting Plastic |
GRP boats, car bodies. Chair shells. Ducting, garden furniture,
e.t.c. Translucent panels for building. Encapsulating and embedding
castings. |
Liquids. Pastes. |
Medium |
Low density polythene
(Low density polyethylene) |
Wide range of colours. Tough. Good chemical resistance. Good electrical
insulator. Flexible, soft. Fades unless light stabilised. Attracts
dust unless antistatic. |
Squezee bottles and toys. Plastic sacks and sheets. Packaging
film. Telecommunications cable insulation. TV aerial lead insulation. |
Powders. Granules. Films. Sheets. Wide range of colours. |
Medium |
High density polystyrene
( High density polyethylene) |
Wide range of colours. Fairly stiff and hard. Stiffness and softening
point both increase with density. Can be sterilised. Good chemical
resistance. High impact and shock resistant. Fades unless light
stabilised. |
Milk crates. Bottles, barrels, tanks, pipes, chemical pumps, machine
parts(e.g. gear wheels). Houseware( e.g. buckets, bowls) |
Powders, granules, films. Sheets. Wide range of colours. |
Medium |
Plasticised PVC
(polyvinyl chloride) |
Wide range of colors. Soft, flexible. Good electrical insulator. |
Leathercloth, suitcases, tabletops coverings. Sealing compounds,
underseal. Dip coatings . Hosepipes. Electrical wiring insulation.
Wall coverings( vinyl wallpapers). Floor coverings. |
Powders, pastes. Liquids. Sheets. Wide range of colours. |
Medium |
Expanded polystyrene
(Expanded polyphenylethane) |
Very buoyant. Light weight. Absorbs shocks. Very good sound and
heat resistor. Crumbles easily. Burns readily unless flame proofed. |
Sound insulation. Heat resistant packaging. |
Sheets, slabs, beads. Usually white. |
Low |
Acrylic
( Polymethyl methacrylate) |
Stiff, hard glass clear. Very durable outdoors. Easily machined,
cemented and polished. Good electrical insulator. Safe with food.
Ten times more impact resistance than glass. Splinters easily. Scratches
easily.
|
Light units and illuminated signs. Watch and clock glasses. Record
player lids. Simple lenses. Aircraft canopies and windows. Car rearlight
units. Skylights. Furniture. Baths. Perspex sheet. Cladding for
buildings. |
Rods, tubes which are usually clear. Translucent and opaque. Comes
in a wide range of colours. |
Medium |