Comparing Performance Plastic With Single Use Plastics

by sitemanager | Mar 9, 2020 | Choosing A Plastic Material, High Performance Plastics, Informational Post, Made In The USA, New Materials, Performance Plastic

What is a Performance Plastic?

The quick answer is: Performance Plastics are the opposite of single use plastics.

Performance plastic materials are a wide range of materials that are designed for use in mechanical, engineering, aerospace, food processing, and many other applications. These performance plastic materials generally have superior physical properties. Most of these materials are frequently are used to replace other materials like metals, wood and glass.

Most performance plastic sheets and rods are machinable. These special materials can be used to replace other substrates that can not stand up to the same demanding applications. Performance plastics are the natural choice when considering replacement for traditional materials, such as bronze, stainless steel, glass, wood and copper. Performance plastics offer a wide range and combination of features and benefits.

Why Performance Plastics Are So Popular

Because of their cost-effectiveness as well as their reliability, durability, and special characteristics performance plastic materials are replacing metals in the oil and gas industry. The constant development of new and better high performance plastic materials is therefore closely linked to the development and economic production of new materials. High performance plastics can be divided in amorphous and semi-crystalline polymers, just like all polymers.

Performance Plastics properties	Single Use Plastic properties
Long life – up to 50 years of service	Very short, often instant throw away
Wear Resistance	Very cheap
Self Lubricating	Little to no physical properties
High Heat Resistance	Very low melting point
Machinable	Very light weight
Can be Very UV Resistant	Deteriorates quickly
Very Long Life	Extremely short life
Tough and Durable	Considered disposable
Very High Impact Strength	Flimsy, low value

Why use a Performance Plastic?

Performance plastics are designed for repeated or multi-use applications and generate a smaller carbon footprint than glass, steel, or wood. Moreover, high performance plastics are plastics that can perform well under extreme environments. Because most performance plastics are considered ‘self lubricating’, these materials can be made into parts that replace metals. Also, performance plastics don’t require the continual maintenance and lubrication that metals require.

Over the past few decades the Mechanical Plastics have increasingly replaced metals due to their strength-to-weight ratios. Performance plastics have excellent resistance to wear and have surpassed aluminum and steel, respectively. When certain additives are blended with thermoplastic polymers, this performance plastic can meet stringent codes. These Include compliance ratings for smoke, flammability, and even toxic gas release. Similarly, there are several high end performance plastics can meet the stringent FM-4910 flame and smoke rating.

Performance Plastic materials are not ‘cheap’

As opposed to ‘single use’ plastics, the performance plastic materials are not inexpensive or ‘throw away’. Rather these high performance materials are designed for specific applications, and out perform most other substrates. Other characteristics of high performance plastics can be extraordinary resistance to wear and tear. Other considerations include high purity or particular electrical insulation. High performance plastics are plastics that can perform well under extreme conditions. High performance plastics are best known for their temperature, chemical and wear resistance.

Performance Plastics offers high performance plastics for high performance applications. All this and at economical prices, made by quality American made engineering plastics manufacturers. High-performance plastics are formulated to operate under extreme environments. Such as chemical, high temperature and heavy load applications or additionally a combination of these. Most performance plastics are used where the highest demands are placed on these materials. This includes thermal or chemical resistance, product mechanics, or on the self-lubrication of products.

Wide Variety Of Performance Plastics

There are many materials that are uniquely considered high performance plastic. Several of the better known and popular performance plastic materials include: Nylon (Type 6, Type 6/6, Type 6/12), Acetal (both Acetal Copolymer and Acetal Homopolymer), Polysulfone, PTFE, Radel R5500, Ultem (Ultem 1000 and Ultem 2300) and PEEK (Victrex 450g), and many more. Each of these materials have their own unique set of physical properties as well as strengths and weaknesses. Please review the data sheets for each of these materials, and then contact us with any questions you may have on suitability for your applications.

In the performance plastic market, one size does not fit all. With over 40 high performance plastics, each with its own physical properties. Several materials may be upgraded choices for your performance plastic requirement. Please feel free to call one of our certified customer service personnel for assistance in choosing the best performance plastic for your application.

Medical Grade Plastic Sheet and Rod, UHMW, PEEK, Ultem materials

by sitemanager | Mar 22, 2013 | Choosing A Plastic Material, High Performance Plastics, Machinable Plastic, Material Comparison, Mentor Nuggets

PLASTICS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD

When we think of plastic, we think of plastic bags you get at the grocery store or maybe your child’s toy that’s made out of cheap throw away material. If you stop and think about it, plastic is everywhere and it’s uses are almost infinite. Take Acetal Copolymer, it is a plastic that replaces metal in numerous applications and is used to make gears, screws and other hard working parts. Consider PTFE for instance which is used to coat your frying pan to make it non-stick, make steam valves and fittings, and chemical resistant parts. Another material is Polycarbonate or Lexan® (a SABIC brand name -formerly G.E. Plastics) which is used to replace glass because it is shatter resistant and is also used for bullet resistant glazing and riot shields. Even the cup of coffee you grab for every morning is made of foamed Styrene – Styrofoam. But plastic has shaped our lives in countless ways, many of them you might not even think of or notice.

Plastics play a big part in the world of medicine. Some other advancements in the area of medicine include assisting people with debilitating injuries and serious afflictions, helping them feel more comfortable and move easier. Prosthetic limbs and joint replacements have come along way since the old days of metal and wood. Since the late 90’s UHMW or (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) has become the standard in hip and joint replacements. With plastics like UHMW, which has great wear resistance, excellent strength and very low co-efficient of friction (very slippery), it has made people who need these surgeries have better mobility and better quality of life. These plastics also make prosthetic limbs lighter and stronger for athletes who wish to compete and lead near normal active lifestyles due to the use of plastic polymers (derived from the Greek meaning ‘many parts’) mimicking human flexibility. Prosthetic devices date all the way back to the ancient Egyptians where they used leather and wood for toe and foot replacements. But thanks to today’s technologies and advancements in as plastic, most amputees and athletes can regain their quality of life and enabling them to do what they love.

What has Medical Plastic Done For You Lately?

Another plastic material that has changed the medical field is PEEK (Polyetheretherketone). This material is a newer plastic which has high chemical resistance along with excellent high continuous temperature resistance of up to 480 degrees fahrenheit. PEEK has replaced many metal devices in the medical field, because PEEK is one of the only thermoplastics (plastic which can be bent or shaped) able to withstand high doses of radiation over an extended lifetime. In addition PEEK is used to help many people awaiting kidney transplants because it is used to make a critical component in dialysis machines. These machines need to clean the blood over a period of several hours and because of this, PEEK is the natural solution, as it can be steam cleaned time and time again with little effect on the material. Along with its great chemical, temperature, and fluid handling stability, PEEK is USP Class VI, making it ideal for these types of medical applications. The natural color of PEEK is a beige to tan and is available in sheet and rod. One of the largest manufacturers of PEEK resin is Victrex and their 450G resin.

Plastics In Medicine – Everyday

Plastic materials have become apart of our lives and has changed the way we take care of the sick and injured, how we protect our foods from germs, and prolong the storage of foods. Plastics protect medical instruments and insure they are sterile. It has made people’s lives better in both the short and long term. It has helped reduce pain, gain better movement and has given people their confidence back. The values of plastic can not be understated and in the future, hopefully plastics will save or prolong many more lives through advancements in technology and the limitless possibilities it presents.

For more information on these and other medical grade plastics like: Clear Nylon (look for blog post on this), Ultem, Polysulfone, Radel and more, contact us. E-mail us or call 866-832-9315