Plastic

Plastic Introduction to Plastics Due to its length, we have divided this document into a number of areas that are accessible by clicking on the links below. If you prefer, you can simply scroll down the page using the scrollbar on the right-hand side of this browser window. To print out this document in its entirety, including the slides, click here now. (This file is a PDF file and requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader). - History and Significance of Polymers - The Structure of Polymers - Polymerization and Molecular Structure - Molecular Arrangement of Polymers - Characteristics of Polymers - Forms of Plastics - Common Plastic Resins Used in Packaging - Resin Identification Code History and Significance of Polymers Plastics are polymers. What is a polymer' The simplest definition of a polymer is something made of many units. Think of a polymer as a chain. Each link of the chain is the "mer" or basic unit that is made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and/or silicon. To make the chain, many links or "mers" are hooked or polymerized together. Polymerization can be demonstrated by linking strips of construction paper together to make paper garlands or hooking together hundreds of paper clips to form chains. Polymers have plastic, bottles, resistance, materials, containers, adhesives, products, plastics, bags, additives, material, water, recycled, processing, polymers, packaging, ease, applications, recycling, low, film, chemical, bond, two, qualities, properties, include, form, flexible, vinyl, strength/toughness, rigid, resin, reinforcements, polystyrene