Plastic as synthetic materials like polymers for std 10 to12 CBSE

PLASTICS 

Plastics are polymers which possess plysticity at some processing stage. The word plastic is very popular. A number of articles made up of plastic are widely used in our daily life. Plastic materials are strong and more durable. They are less corrosive and do not react with the atmospheric air. Plastics can be shaped easily. All these properties of plastic has made it very popular. That is why plastics have replaced glass, wood, metal, rubber, leather etc. 

Activity
Collect the materials like nylon, polyester, polythene, PVC. Heat these materials carefully on a spatula. Allow them to cool down. Observe the changes and note them.
A plastic is a synthetic material manufactured by the polymerization of organic substances which can be molded in to desired shpe when hot. Plastics are of two types 

(1) Thermo plastics 

(2) Thermosetting plastics. 

Certain plastics soften on heating and harden on cooling. They can be moulded and re-moulded easily by heating. Plastics which lose their shape on heating are called thermoplastics. Polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene are examples for thermo plastics. 

Polystyrene Plastic

Polyvinyl chloride Plastic

Plastics which set on heating and become irreversible hard on cooling, are known as thermosetting plastis. 

Ex : Bakelte, silicones, epoxy-resins.

Uses : 

polymers popularly termed as plastics are substitutes to many structured materials like glass, wood, rubber, metal, clay, leather and so on. These are cost effective and have better quality compared to their natural substitutes. They are more popular because their properties can be manipulated easily to suit the requirements.

Find out by yourself
Bakelite is used as a part of electric devices and vessels Why ?

Recycling of plastics : 

Plaste waste separated after collecting.

Plastic is not decomposed by microorganisms. It is not biodegradable. Plastic wate causes pollution. It is very difficult of dispose them off. The pollution due to plastic waste can be prevented to some extent by recycling. Recycling is the process of using the material again by reprocessing. 

Steps involved in re-cycling are :

1. Collection of waste plastic materials.
2. Separating thermosetting and thermoplastic materials.
3. Softening of thermoplastics.
4. Upgrading the quality by refining.
5. Re-moulding.

What are the benefits of recycling ? 

Prepare a lsit of materials which can be recycled for our use.

More:

Cement.

Thanks to Google Image provider.