module

1. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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.

2. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
IMIDE MATERIALS
Key Characteristics:
Very High Cost Per Pound
Excellent Properties Above 400°F
Excellent Electrical Properties
Excellent Dimensional Stability
Low Coefficient of Friction
Materials:
PI
PAI
PBI
IAPD THERMOPLASTICS RECTANGLE
AMORPHOUS HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics
High Cost
High Temperature
High Strength & Good Stiffness
Good Chemical Resistance
Transparency
Hot Water & Steam Resistance
Materials:
Polysulfone
Polyetherimide
Polyethersulfone
Polyarylsulfone
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE HIGH PERFORMACE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
High Cost
High Temperature
High Strength
Good Electrical Properties
Outstanding Chemical Resistance
Low Coefficient of Friction
Good Toughness
Materials:
PVDF
PTFE
ECTFE
FEP
PFA
PPS
PEEK
AMORPHOUS ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Moderate Cost
Moderate Temperature Resistance
Moderate Strength
Good Impact Resistance
Translucency
Good Dimensional Stability
Good Optical Qualities
Materials:
Polycarbonate
Modified PPO
Modified PPE
Thermoplastic Urethane
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Moderate Cost
Moderate Temperature Resistance
Moderate Strength
Good Chemical Resistance
Good Bearing and Wear Properties
Low Coefficient of Friction
Difficult to Bond
Materials:
Nylon
Acetal
PET
PBT
UHMW-PE
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE COMMODITY PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Low Cost
Low Temperature Resistance
Low Strength
Excellent Chemical Resistance
Low Coefficient of Friction
Near Zero Moisture Absorption
Very Good Electrical Properties
Good Toughness
Materials:
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
Polymetnylpentene(TPX)
AMORPHOUS COMMODITY PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Low Cost
Low Temperature Resistance]
Low Strength
Good Dimensional Stability
Bond Well
Typically Transparent
Materials:
Acrylic
Polystyrene
ABS
PVC
PETG
CAB
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE
PLASTICS
AMORPHOUS
PLASTICS
AMORPHOUS PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:
Soften Over a Broad Range Of Temperatures
Easy to Thermoform
Tend to Be Transparent
Bond Well Using Adhesives and Solvents
Prone To Stress Cracking
Poor Fatigue Resistance
Stuctural Applications Only (Not for Bearing & Wear)
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:
Sharp Melting Point
Difficult to Thermoform
Tend to Be Opaque
Difficult To Bond Using Adhesives and Solvents
Good Resistance To Stress Cracking
Good Fatigue Resistance
Good For Bearing and Wear, As Well As Structural Applications

3. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Definitions
• Thermoplastic
• Thermoset

4. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Types of Thermoplastics
• Imidized materials
• Amorphous plastics
– High performance
– Engineering
– Commodity
• Semi-crystalline plastics
– High performance
– Engineering
– Commodity

5. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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.

6. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Amorphous Commodity
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Low cost, temperature resistance and strength
• Good dimensional stability
• Bonds well
• Typically, but not always, transparent

7. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Amorphous Commodity
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Acrylic (PMMA)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Acrylonitrile - Butadiene - Styrene (ABS)
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
• Polyethylene Terepthalate Glycol (PETG)
• Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB)

8. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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

9. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Amorphous Engineering
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Polycarbonate (PC)
• Polyphenylene Oxide (Modified PPO)
• Polyphenylene Ether (Modified PPE)
• Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU)

10. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Amorphous High Performance
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• High cost
• High temperature
• High strength and good stiffness
• Good chemical resistance
• Transparency
• Hot water and steam resistance

11. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Amorphous High Performance
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Polysulfone (PS)
• Polyetherimide (PEI)
• Polyethersulfone (PES)
• Polyarylsulfone (PAS)

12. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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

13. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Semi-Crystalline Commodity
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Polyethylene (PE)
– High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
– Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polymethylpentene (PMP)

14. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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

15. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Semi-Crystalline Engineering
Thermoplastics
Materials
• Nylon (PA)
• Acetal (POM)
• Polyethylene Terepthalate (PET)
• Polybutylene Terepthalate (PBT)
• Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE)

16. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Semi-Crystalline High Performance
Thermoplastics
Key Characteristics
• Temperature resistance
• Good electrical properties and toughness
• Outstanding chemical resistance
• Low coefficient of friction (COF)
• High cost

17. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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)

18. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
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

19. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
Imidized Materials
Materials
• Polyimide (PI)
• Polyamide-imide (PAI)
• Polybenzimidazole (PBI)

20. The International Association of Plastics Distributors
The IAPD Plastics Primer, Module 2
IMIDE MATERIALS
Key Characteristics:
Very High Cost Per Pound
Excellent Properties Above 400°F
Excellent Electrical Properties
Excellent Dimensional Stability
Low Coefficient of Friction
Materials:
PI
PAI
PBI
IAPD THERMOPLASTICS RECTANGLE
AMORPHOUS HIGH PERFORMANCE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics
High Cost
High Temperature
High Strength & Good Stiffness
Good Chemical Resistance
Transparency
Hot Water & Steam Resistance
Materials:
Polysulfone
Polyetherimide
Polyethersulfone
Polyarylsulfone
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE HIGH PERFORMACE PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
High Cost
High Temperature
High Strength
Good Electrical Properties
Outstanding Chemical Resistance
Low Coefficient of Friction
Good Toughness
Materials:
PVDF
PTFE
ECTFE
FEP
PFA
PPS
PEEK
AMORPHOUS ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Moderate Cost
Moderate Temperature Resistance
Moderate Strength
Good Impact Resistance
Translucency
Good Dimensional Stability
Good Optical Qualities
Materials:
Polycarbonate
Modified PPO
Modified PPE
Thermoplastic Urethane
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE ENGINEERING PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Moderate Cost
Moderate Temperature Resistance
Moderate Strength
Good Chemical Resistance
Good Bearing and Wear Properties
Low Coefficient of Friction
Difficult to Bond
Materials:
Nylon
Acetal
PET
PBT
UHMW-PE
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE COMMODITY PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Low Cost
Low Temperature Resistance
Low Strength
Excellent Chemical Resistance
Low Coefficient of Friction
Near Zero Moisture Absorption
Very Good Electrical Properties
Good Toughness
Materials:
Polyethylene
Polypropylene
Polymetnylpentene(TPX)
AMORPHOUS COMMODITY PLASTICS
Key Characteristics:
Low Cost
Low Temperature Resistance]
Low Strength
Good Dimensional Stability
Bond Well
Typically Transparent
Materials:
Acrylic
Polystyrene
ABS
PVC
PETG
CAB
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE
PLASTICS
AMORPHOUS
PLASTICS
AMORPHOUS PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:
Soften Over a Broad Range Of Temperatures
Easy to Thermoform
Tend to Be Transparent
Bond Well Using Adhesives and Solvents
Prone To Stress Cracking
Poor Fatigue Resistance
Stuctural Applications Only (Not for Bearing & Wear)
SEMI-CRYSTALLINE PLASTICS KEY CHARACTERISTICS:
Sharp Melting Point
Difficult to Thermoform
Tend to Be Opaque
Difficult To Bond Using Adhesives and Solvents
Good Resistance To Stress Cracking
Good Fatigue Resistance
Good For Bearing and Wear, As Well As Structural Applications