TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

363 P. Casal St., Quiapo, Manila

Thermoplastic,
Thermoset and Elastomer

Marvin Brian J. Paras

Engr. Lina dela Cruz

December 11, 2017

 THERMOPLASTICS
Thermoplastics are in the
application range of hard or
tough elasticity and can be
melted by energy input
(mechanical, thermal or
radiation energy).
Thermoplastic consist of
macromolecular chains with
no crosslinks between the
chains.
Thermoplastic can vary from
optical transparency to
opaque, depending on the type
and structure of the material.
In opaque material, the light is
internally scattered by the
molecular structure and direct
transmission of light is very
poor with increasing material
thickness.
Thermoplastic can be
reversibly melted by heating
and resolidified by cooling
without significant changing
of mechanical and optical
properties.
Thermoplastic are On
differentiated into amorphous decomposition
and semicrystalline types, Td, the material will be
chemical decomposed.
THERMOSETS ELASTOMERS
Thermosets are in the Elastomers are of soft elasticity
application range of hard and usually cannot be melted.
elasticity and also cannot be
melted.
Thermosets are plastic resins Elastomers are plastics with
with narrow crosslinked wide netlike crosslinking
molecule chains. between the molecules.
In the state of application Above the glass temperature
thermosets are hard and Tg, as the state of application
brittle. Because of the strong elastomers are soft elastic;
resistance of molecular below Tg they are hard elastic
movement caused by the to brittle. The value of the
crosslinking, mechanical glass temperature increases
strength and elasticity are not with increasing number of
temperature dependent, as crosslinks.
with thermoplastics or
elastomers.
Thermosets cannot be melted Usually, they cannot be melted
and joining by thermal without degradation of the
processes like ultrasonic molecule structure.
welding or laser welding is
not possible.
exceeding the On exceeding the
temperature decomposition temperature Td,
the atom bonding between the
molecule chains will be broken
and the material will be
chemical decomposed.
EXAMPLES
THERMOPLASTICS
 Polycarbonate (PC)
 Polystyrene (PS)
 Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
 Polyethylene (PE)
 Polypropylene (PP)
 Polyamide (PA)
THERMOSETS ELASTOMERS
 Epoxy Resins (EP)  Butadiene-Elastomers
 Phenol Resins (PF) (BR)
 Polyester Resins (UP)  Styrene- Butadiene-
Elastomers (SBR)
 Polyurethane (PUR)