Ford uses recycled plastic bottles to make automobile seats. The article details how Ford works with partners to collect plastic bottles which are then ground up and turned into fibers that can be woven like fabric. This material is 30% lighter than traditional seat materials while providing the same comfort. Using recycled plastic bottles helps Ford meet sustainability goals and diverts waste from landfills.

1. http://ford-life.com/2012/01/07/ford-uses-plastic-bottles-for-seats/
Maikel Hanna

2. Summary
 Plastic is a material made out of polymers that have the
capability to be modeled or shaped, usually by applying heat
or pressure.
 Plastics have the unique potential to be manufactured to
meet our specific needs.
 Plastics can be used for almost anything from the bottles we
drink from, to the refrigerators they’re stored in.
http://www.american.edu/sis/sisabroad/green-study-abroad-initiatives.cfm

3. Summary
 The foundation for making plastics is small organic
molecules that contain carbon, along with other
different substances.
 Through a process called polymerization, each small
molecule is capable of joining with monomers to form
very long polymer chains (Plastic 1).
 Polymers can be so large, that together with their
physical state and structure, give plastics their unique
properties (Rodriguez 4).

4. Chemistry
 Plastics can be divided into two categories.
 They can be made of polymers that have linear carbon
atoms in their parent chains, or hetero-chain
polymers, which contain atoms such as oxygen,
nitrogen, or sulfur in their parent chains (Rodriguez 1).
http://www.eng.buffalo.edu/Courses/ce435/2001/Plastic_Microw
ave/MicrowaveReport.htm
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2012/11/bpa-bisphenol

5. Chemistry
 An example of a linear carbon atom is polyethylene, one of the most
used plastics. Polyethylene is found in milk bottles, frisbees, trash
bags, and many other products. An example of a hetero-chain polymer
is polycarbonate, which has two benzene rings.
 (Downey 5).
http://www.ndt-
ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Materials/Structure/polymer.htm
http://pslc.ws/macrog/pc.htm

6. Chemistry
Polymers can be broken down even further into two areas: thermoplastics
and thermosets. Thermoplastics have the ability to be remolded, then
harden again when cooled. Thermosets, however, are permanent when
formed, and they cannot be melted to be reformed. The linear chains in a
thermoset are cross-linked and have very strong chemical bonds,
preventing it from melting (Plastic 2).
http://www.recycledplastic.com/plastics/thermoplastics-vs-thermosetting-plastics/

7. Chemistry
 Plasticizers are used to make plastic more
flexible.
 The plasticizers get in between the polymer
chains to weaken the forces of attraction
(Rodriguez 2).
http://www.gcsescience.com/o59.htm

8. Works Cited
 Downey, Charles. "Biodegradeable Bags." Chem Matter
Oct. 1991: 4-6. Print.
 "Plastics and Polymers." Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media
AB 2014, 28 Aug. 2007. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/chemistry/p
lastics/readmore.html>.
 Rodriguez, Ferdinand. "Plastic." Encyclopædia
Britannica Online Academic Edition. N.p.:
Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014. Britannica.com. Web.
7 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/46368
4/plastic>.