What is plastic?

plastics is Materials that can be reshaped (remolded) by applying heat and pressure.

Plastic is a polymer material which can be reshaped with the help of heat and pressure. Plastic are the versatile material ever invented. It has two classifications thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. These classification are based on the thermal response. Plastic which can be reshaped or remoulded for several cycles with the application of heat and pressure is called thermoplastics. And thermosetting plastics are synthetic material that strengthen during being heated but cannot be remoulded or reheated after their initial heat forming. 

Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials used in a huge, and growing, range of applications.

Everywhere you look you will find plastics. We use plastic products to help make our lives cleaner, easier, safer and more enjoyable. You will find plastics in the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, and the cars we travel in. The toys we play with, the televisions we watch, the computers we use and the CDs we listen to contain plastics. Even the toothbrush you use every day contains plastics! Plastics are organic, the same as wood, paper or wool. The raw materials for plastics production are natural products such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and, of course, crude oil. Plastics are today’s and tomorrow’s materials of choice because they make it possible to balance modern day needs with environmental concerns.

Plastic is any synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymer. While plastics may be made from just about any organic polymer, most industrial plastic is made from petrochemicals. Thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers are the two types of plastic. The name "plastic" refers to the property of plasticity, which is the ability to deform without breaking.

The polymer used to make a plastic is almost always mixed with additives, including colorants, plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers, and reinforcements. These additives affect the chemical composition, chemical properties, and mechanical properties of a plastic and also affect its cost.

Thermosets and Thermoplastics

Thermosetting polymers, also known as thermosets, solidify into a permanent shape. They are amorphous and considered to have infinite molecular weight.