The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Understanding the Basics of

Plastic Materials and
the IAPD Thermoplastics
Rectangle

Prepared by the IAPD Education Committee (Module 2)

Presented courtesy of Modern Plastics, Inc.

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

IAPD THERMOPLASTICS RECTANGLE

IMIDE MATERIALS
Key Characteristics: Materials:
Very High Cost Per Pound PI
Excellent Properties Above 400°F PAI
Excellent Electrical Properties PBI
Excellent Dimensional Stability
Low Coefficient of Friction
AMORPHOUS HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE HIGH PERFORMACE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
High Cost Polysulfone High Cost PVDF
High Temperature Polyetherimide High Temperature PTFE

SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS
High Strength & Good Stiffness Polyethersulfone High Strength ECTFE
Good Chemical Resistance Polyarylsulfone Good Electrical Properties FEP
Transparency Outstanding Chemical Resistance PFA
AMORPHOUS PLASTICS

Hot Water & Steam Resistance Low Coefficient of Friction PPS

Good Toughness PEEK
AMORPHOUS ENGINEERING PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics: Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
Moderate Cost Polycarbonate Moderate Cost Nylon
Moderate Temperature Resistance Modified PPO Moderate Temperature Resistance Acetal
Moderate Strength Modified PPE Moderate Strength PET
Good Impact Resistance Thermoplastic Urethane Good Chemical Resistance PBT
Translucency Good Bearing and Wear Properties UHMW-PE
Good Dimensional Stability Low Coefficient of Friction
Good Optical Qualities Difficult to Bond

AMORPHOUS COMMODITY PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE COMMODITY PLASTICS

Key Characteristics: Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
Low Cost Acrylic Low Cost Polyethylene
Low Temperature Resistance] Polystyrene Low Temperature Resistance Polypropylene
Low Strength ABS Low Strength Polymetnylpentene(TPX)
Good Dimensional Stability PVC Excellent Chemical Resistance
Bond Well PETG Low Coefficient of Friction
Typically Transparent CAB Near Zero Moisture Absorption
Very Good Electrical Properties
Good Toughness

AMORPHOUS PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS: SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:

Soften Over a Broad Range Of Temperatures Sharp Melting Point
Easy to Thermoform Difficult to Thermoform
Tend to Be Transparent Tend to Be Opaque
Bond Well Using Adhesives and Solvents Difficult To Bond Using Adhesives and Solvents
Prone To Stress Cracking Good Resistance To Stress Cracking
Poor Fatigue Resistance Good Fatigue Resistance
Stuctural Applications Only (Not for Bearing & Wear) Good For Bearing and Wear, As Well As Structural Applications

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Definitions
• Thermoplastic
• Thermoset

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Types of Thermoplastics
• Imidized materials
• Amorphous plastics
– High performance
– Engineering
– Commodity
• Semi-crystalline plastics
– High performance
– Engineering
– Commodity

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous vs. Crystalline

Thermoplastics
• Amorphous (a-morphous = without shape) - The polymer chains
are in random arrangement. Molecular structure is incapable of
forming regular order (crystallizing) with molecules or portions of
molecules regularly stacked in crystal-like fashion. Molecular
arrangement is randomly twisted, kinked and coiled.

• Crystalline - The polymer chains form a regular pattern.

Molecular structure forms regular order (crystals) with molecules
or portions of molecules regularly stacked in crystal-like fashion.
Molecular arrangement is arranged in an ordered fashion.

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous Commodity
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics

• Low cost, temperature resistance and strength

• Good dimensional stability
• Bonds well
• Typically, but not always, transparent

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous Commodity
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Acrylic (PMMA)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Acrylonitrile - Butadiene - Styrene (ABS)
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
• Polyethylene Terepthalate Glycol (PETG)
• Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous Engineering
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Moderate cost
• Moderate temperature resistance
• Moderate strength
• Good to excellent impact resistance
• Good dimensional stability
Not true in all cases:
• Translucency

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous Engineering
Thermoplastics
Materials

• Polycarbonate (PC)
• Polyphenylene Oxide (Modified PPO)
• Polyphenylene Ether (Modified PPE)
• Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous High Performance

Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics

• High cost
• High temperature
• High strength and good stiffness
• Good chemical resistance
• Transparency
• Hot water and steam resistance

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Amorphous High Performance

Thermoplastics
Materials
• Polysulfone (PS)
• Polyetherimide (PEI)
• Polyethersulfone (PES)
• Polyarylsulfone (PAS)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline Commodity
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Low cost, temperature resistance and strength
• Excellent chemical resistance
• Low COF
• Near zero moisture absorption
• Very good electrical properties
• Good toughness

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline Commodity
Thermoplastics
Materials

• Polyethylene (PE)
– High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
– Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polymethylpentene (PMP)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline Engineering
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Moderate cost, temperature resistance and strength
• Good chemical resistance
• Good bearing and wear properties
• Low COF
• Difficult to bond

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline Engineering
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Nylon (PA)
• Acetal (POM)
• Polyethylene Terepthalate (PET)
• Polybutylene Terepthalate (PBT)
• Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline High Performance

Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Temperature resistance
• Good electrical properties and toughness
• Outstanding chemical resistance
• Low coefficient of friction (COF)
• High cost

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Semi-Crystalline High Performance

Thermoplastics
Materials
• Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF)
• Polytetra Fluoroethylene (PTFE)
• Ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE)
• Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP)
• Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE)
• Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA)
• Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Imidized Materials
Key Characteristics

• Very high cost per pound

• Excellent properties above 204°C/400°F
• Excellent electrical properties
• Excellent dimensional stability
• Low coefficient of friction (COF)
• Very low thermal expansion
• Good wear characteristics

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

Imidized Materials
Materials

• Polyimide (PI)
• Polyamide-imide (PAI)
• Polybenzimidazole (PBI)

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2

The International Association of Plastics Distributors

IAPD THERMOPLASTICS RECTANGLE

IMIDE MATERIALS
Key Characteristics: Materials:
Very High Cost Per Pound PI
Excellent Properties Above 400°F PAI
Excellent Electrical Properties PBI
Excellent Dimensional Stability
Low Coefficient of Friction
AMORPHOUS HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE HIGH PERFORMACE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
High Cost Polysulfone High Cost PVDF
High Temperature Polyetherimide High Temperature PTFE

SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS
High Strength & Good Stiffness Polyethersulfone High Strength ECTFE
Good Chemical Resistance Polyarylsulfone Good Electrical Properties FEP
Transparency Outstanding Chemical Resistance PFA
AMORPHOUS PLASTICS

Hot Water & Steam Resistance Low Coefficient of Friction PPS

Good Toughness PEEK
AMORPHOUS ENGINEERING PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics: Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
Moderate Cost Polycarbonate Moderate Cost Nylon
Moderate Temperature Resistance Modified PPO Moderate Temperature Resistance Acetal
Moderate Strength Modified PPE Moderate Strength PET
Good Impact Resistance Thermoplastic Urethane Good Chemical Resistance PBT
Translucency Good Bearing and Wear Properties UHMW-PE
Good Dimensional Stability Low Coefficient of Friction
Good Optical Qualities Difficult to Bond

AMORPHOUS COMMODITY PLASTICS SEMI-CRYSTALLINE COMMODITY PLASTICS

Key Characteristics: Materials: Key Characteristics: Materials:
Low Cost Acrylic Low Cost Polyethylene
Low Temperature Resistance] Polystyrene Low Temperature Resistance Polypropylene
Low Strength ABS Low Strength Polymetnylpentene(TPX)
Good Dimensional Stability PVC Excellent Chemical Resistance
Bond Well PETG Low Coefficient of Friction
Typically Transparent CAB Near Zero Moisture Absorption
Very Good Electrical Properties
Good Toughness

AMORPHOUS PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS: SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:

Soften Over a Broad Range Of Temperatures Sharp Melting Point
Easy to Thermoform Difficult to Thermoform
Tend to Be Transparent Tend to Be Opaque
Bond Well Using Adhesives and Solvents Difficult To Bond Using Adhesives and Solvents
Prone To Stress Cracking Good Resistance To Stress Cracking
Poor Fatigue Resistance Good Fatigue Resistance
Stuctural Applications Only (Not for Bearing & Wear) Good For Bearing and Wear, As Well As Structural Applications

The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2