Thermoplastics

The overall aim of this book is to aid the process of sourcing and selecting appropriate thermoplastic polymers. There are now a wide diversity of thermoplastics offered for commercial uses. At one end of the range are the high-volume commodity materials for short life consumer applications. Whereas at the other end are the high value engineering materials; with significant levels of mechanical, physical and electrical performance. Within this publication, the generic groups of thermoplastics can be identified, along with their respective attributes and limitations. All thermoplastics are available in different grades. The constituents selected to form a grade are chosen to modify aspects of material behaviour, both during processing and in the final moulded form. The directory addresses materials which can be obtained in granular, powder or paste form for subsequent processing. Information is not provided directly on semi-finished product forms, such as films, fibres, sheet or profiles, other than when inferred from the processing descriptions of specified grades. The directory covers virgin or compounded material. It does not specifically address reclaimed or recycled grades. Data is provided for the mechanical and physical properties of moulded grades as processed by the route intended by the primary manufacturer (M) or compounder (C). Material grades can be obtained from a number of sources; either the original polymer manufacturer or a recognised compounder who produces a range of grades.