A plastic is a modulable material with a polymer base. There are 3 types of plastics
- Thermoplastics: are polymers that melt when heated and harden whe cooled.
- Thermosets: are polymers which, once solidified, cannot be melted again
because of the very strong interactions between the molecular chains. - Elastomers: are polymers that are characterised by high elasticity.
Plastics are mainly produced from fossil resources (oil, gas) but also from biomass.
Each polymer has its own properties and structures. The properties can be improved by adding additives, fillers, plasticisers etc.