by
Dexby P. de Guzman
BSChE- 5
July 14, 2010
Plastic Industries
Overview
A plastic is a material that contains a polymerized organic substance of large molecular
weight as an essential ingredient, is solid in its finished state, and at some stage in its
manufacture or its processing into finished articles can be shaped by flow. The plastic industries
have developed and grown then, since their discovery. Plastics can be used in various
applications because of their toughness, water resistance, excellent resistance to corrosion, ease
of fabrication, and remarkable color range.
History
The development of commercial phenolic resin in 1909 by Baekland was the start of the
synthetic plastic industry. His discovery stimulated the search for other plastics. The first plastic
of industrial significance was cellulose nitrate (Celluloid) and was discovered about the middle
of the nineteenth century. It was first used in 1869 by Hyatt who was searching for an ivory
substitute. New polymer materials were then introduced in later times.
Classification
They are divided into thermosetting, thermoplastic, oil soluble and, and protein products.
Thermosetting plastics are processed by heat curing to produce an infusible or insoluble product.
These plastics are formed by condensation polymerization. Condensation polymerization yields
polymers whose recurring units lack certain atoms present in the original monomer. The reaction
takes place by the combination of two or more units and the elimination of a small molecule such
as water, methanol, or hydrogen chloride. On the other hand, thermoplastics are processed by
heating to soften them and cooling to harden them. They are processed by addition
polymerization where a series of conversions produces a polymer having a recurring structural
unit identical with that of the monomer from which it is formed.
On the basis of derivation, they may also be grouped as natural resins, cellulose
derivatives, protein products, and synthetic resins.
Applications and Uses
Plastics are not interchangeable. Each one has its own individual properties and
characteristics that make it useful for certain applications. Shown in Table 1 are some common
resin types, their properties, and applications.
The basic raw materials in the plastic production are mainly the monomers and the
chemical intermediates. The monomers include vinyl chloride, ethylene, propylene and similar
simple hydrocarbons. On the other hand, the chemical intermediates include phenol,
formaldehyde, hexamethylenetetramine, phthalic anhydride, methyl acrylate and methacrylate.
Other raw materials such as natural products (i.e. cellulose), plasticizers, fillers, and
reinforcements are also added to alter the properties of the plastic products.
Manufacturing Processes
There are four general polymerization procedures: (1) bulk polymerization, (2) solution
polymerization, (3) suspension polymerization, and (4) emulsion polymerization.
1. Bulk polymerization is carried out in the liquid or vapor state. The monomers and
activator are mixed in a reactor and heated or cooled as needed.
2. Solution polymerization is used when the exothermic heat is too great to be controlled
in bulk polymerization. The monomer and initiator are dissolved in a nonreactive solvent
which serves to slow the reaction and thus moderate the heat given off.
For the purpose of discussion, let us consider a very common plastic, polyethylene. It is
the first and the largest in production of polyolefin plastic. Two types of polyethylene are
available. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), produced by low-pressure methods, is used
mainly for blow-molded containers and injection-molded articles and pipe. Low-density
polyethylene (LDPE), produced by high-pressure methods, is used mainly for plastic films.
2. Compression of Ethylene and Catalyst - Ethylene and the catalyst (free-radical yielding
such as oxygen or peroxide) are compressed to operating pressure (150 MPa).
4. High Pressure Separation – At this stage, the unconverted ethylene is removed and
recycled.
5. Extrusion and Pelletizing – The polyethylene is extruded and pelletized.
6. Quench Cooling – This hardens the polyethylene pellets by addition of cold water.
7. Water Separation and Drying – These involve the removal of water from the pellets to
obtain the final product.
Engineering Plastics
They are high- strength high-performance materials that can be substituted for many
metal uses.
References:
1. Austin, G.T. Shreve’s Chemical Process Industries (5th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill,
Inc., 1984.
Overview
Fibers were originally of natural origin and were produced from wool, silk, cotton, flax,
and similar materials. The first man-made fibers were made by Swan in 1883 when he squirted a
solution of cellulose nitrate in acetic acid through holes. The first truly synthetic fiber was nylon
(a polyamide) introduced in 1940. Until the middle 1950’s, the principal synthetic fibers were
polyamides, polyesters, acrylics, and polyolefins. Thereon, research and developments have been
made to commercialize the production of other synthetic fibers.
Fibers have three important general properties: length, crimp and denier. According to
length, fibers can either be continuous filaments or short fibers. The curl or waviness placed in
synthetic fibers by chemical or mechanical action is called crimp. Lastly, denier is a measure of
the weight of fibers per unit length.
Classification
1. Polyamides – Nylon 6.6 was the first all-synthetic fiber made commercially and opened
up the entire field. It is the product resulting from the polymerization of adipic acid and
hexamethylene diamine. They are used in home furnishings, especially carpets.
2. Polyesters – The common polyester fibers are polymers of the ester formed from
dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol.
B. Vinyon is the trade name of copolymers of 90% vinyl chloride and 10% vinyl acetate.
Resistance to acids and alkalies, sunlight, and aging makes Vinyon useful in heat-
sealing fabrics and clothing.
8. Glass Fibers – are used for electrical insulation in motors and generators, structural
reinforcement of plastics, fire-proof wall coverings and tire cords.
Multicomponent fibers
Multicomponent fibers have been prepared which possess superior properties to either
component if spun alone. They correspond to better dyeability, permanent crimp, or silklike feel,
etc.
Cellulosic fibers
1. Rayon and Cellulose Acetate – are primarily used in women’s apparel, draperies,
upholstery, and blends with wool in carpet and rugs.
2. Carbon fibers – are used for reinforcing plastics which can be used for sporting goods
and engineering plastics.
Dyeing, bleaching, printing, and special finishing (such as for crease recovery,
dimensional stability, resistance to microbial attack and ultraviolet light) involve unit operations
such as filtering, heating, cooling, evaporation and mixing. The modification of fibers and
fabrics by special treatments to change their properties and improve their usefulness is
increasing.
Films
Films are made from different polymers such as polyesters, polyvinyl chloride, etc.
1. Slit-die process – produces flat sheets by extruding the molten polymer through a slit-die
into a quenching water bath or onto a chilled roller.
2. Blow-extrusion Process – produces tubular film by using air pressure to force the molten
polymer around a mandrel.
For discussion, the manufacturing of nylon yarns will be tackled. Figure 2 is the flow
diagram of the manufacturing process.
Figure 2: Process Flow Diagram of Nylon Yarn Manufacturing
Raw Materials
The raw materials for fiber production are just the same as in plastics production and will
depend on the type of material the fiber is made up of. For the production of nylon yarn,
however, the raw materials cited are adipic acid and hexamethylene diamine (“hexa”). Utilities
such as steam and water will also be used.
1. Nylon Salt Formation – The reaction between equimolar proportions of the two raw
materials produces nylon salt solution. Acetic acid is added to the (“hexa”) to to stabilize
chain length.
2. Evaporation – The water produced from the reaction is evaporated in an evaporator and
a jacketed autoclave. In the jacketed autoclave, pure nitrogen at 175-345 kPa forces the
material downward. TiO2 dispersion is also added in the
4. Blender and Hopper – The ribbons are cut into small chips or flakes, blended and
emptied to hoppers.
6. Cold Drawing – After lubrication on a finish roll, the yarn is stretched or drawn to the
desired degree.
7. Bobbin – The nylon yarn passes through a bobbin system and is shipped to various
manufacturers for processing.
Reference
1. Austin, G.T. Shreve’s Chemical Process Industries (5th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill,
Inc., 1984.