You must be familiar with many plastic articles used every day. Make a list of such items and their uses. Plastic is also a polymer like synthetic fiber. Let us learn the properties of plastic in this blog. All plastics do not have the same type of arrangement of units. In some, it is linear, whereas in others it is cross-linked. Plastic articles are available in all possible shapes and sizes.

You ever wondered how this is possible? The fact is that plastic is easily mouldable i.e. can be shaped in any form. Plastic can be recycled, reused, colored, melted, rolled into sheets, or made into wires. That is why it finds such a variety of uses.

Now, try to bend a piece of plastic yourself. Can all the plastic articles be bent easily? You will observe that some plastic articles can bend easily while some break when forced to bend. When we add hot water to a plastic bottle, it gets deformed.

Such plastic which gets deformed easily on heating and can be bent easily is known as thermoplastics. and PVC is some examples of thermoplastics. These are used for manufacturing toys, combs, and various types of containers.

On the other hand, there are some plastics which when molded once, can not be softened by heating. These are called thermosetting plastics. Two examples are bakelite and melamine. Bakelite is a poor conductor of heat and electricity.

It is used for making electrical switches, handles of various utensils, etc. Melamine is a versatile
material. It resists fire and can tolerate heat better than other plastics. It is used for making floor tiles, kitchenware, and fabrics that resist fire. Fig. 3.8 shows the various uses of thermoplastics and
thermosetting plastics.

Plastics as Materials of Choice

Today if we think of storing a food item, water, milk, pickles, dry food, etc., plastic containers seem most convenient. This is because of their lightweight, lower price, good strength, and easy handling. Being lighter as compared to metals, plastics are used in cars, aircraft, and spacecraft, too. The list is endless if we start counting articles like slippers, furniture and decoration pieces, etc.

Now, let us discuss the characteristic properties of plastic.

Plastic is light, strong, and durable

Talk to your parents or grandparents about the types of buckets that were used in the past. What is the material of the buckets or mugs you are using today? What are the advantages of using a plastic container?

Since plastic is very light, strong, durable and can be molded into different shapes and sizes, it is used for various purposes. Plastics are generally cheaper than metals. They are widely used in industry and for household articles. Make a list of different kinds of plastic containers that you use in daily life.

Plastics are poor conductors

One of the many properties of plastic is poor conductivity. Plastics are bad conductors of heat and electricity. That is why electrical wires have plastic covering, and the handles of screwdrivers are made of plastic. As mentioned above, the handles of frying pans are also made of plastic.

Read More: What is Plastic? Boon or Curse? How To Minimise The Use Of Plastic?