What are some of the materials used to make plastic?

Introduction

Plastic is a man-made material that was first created in 1869. Since then, it has been used to manufacture everything from toys and clothing to computer parts and medical devices. There are many different types of plastic, each with its own unique properties. Some plastics can bend while others are more rigid and sturdy. Some plastics can be melted down over and over again while others cannot (at least not without degrading). In this article, we're going to look at some of the most commonly used materials for making these different types of plastic: Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC).

What are some of the materials used to make plastic?

Plastics are made from a variety of different materials. They can be made from petroleum, natural gas or coal.

Plastics can also be made from biomass (organic matter).

Polystyrene

Polystyrene is a polymer that, along with polyethylene and polypropylene, is used to make plastic cups and dishes. It's also found in packaging (like CD cases) and even in some toys. Polystyrene is one of the most versatile materials around; it can be molded into different shapes for all sorts of uses.

Polystyrene is made from petroleum products like oil or natural gas through a process called polymerization: when molecules combine chemically to form large chains called polymers that can't be broken down easily by heat or chemicals. These long chains give polystyrene its strength--they're what hold together all those little balls of Styrofoam!

Because these materials are so strong yet lightweight, they're great insulators: they keep things warm or cold depending on what you want them to do (which means less energy use). They're also recyclable at many locations across America--just look for a recycling symbol on any product containing PS before throwing it away!

Polyethylene

Polyethylene is the most common plastic, and you probably use it every day without even realizing it. It's used in everything from grocery bags to water bottles to containers for leftovers. Polyethylene is also used in clothing and carpeting; you may have noticed that your shirt feels different than your jeans--that's because polyester (another type of plastic) is often blended with polyethylene when making clothes.

Polyethylene was first produced by accident in 1872 when a Scottish chemist named Alexander Parkes accidentally spilled some ethylene glycol onto a hot stovetop while trying to make artificial silk fibers! Since then it's become an important part of our lives thanks largely due its low cost but also because it doesn't melt under high heat like other types do; this makes them ideal materials for things like bottle caps or even cooking utensils like spatulas which need withstand high temperatures during use yet still remain flexible enough not crack over time under normal wear-and-tear conditions

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer. It's used to make plastic bottles, food containers and other items that require strength and durability. Polypropylene is resistant to corrosion and chemicals; it also has good heat resistance. Polypropylene can be injection-molded into many shapes with high precision by using molds made of steel or aluminum alloys

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a thermoplastic polymer, which means it can be melted and molded into any shape. It's used in a wide variety of products, including pipes, flooring and toys.

PVC is most commonly known as the plasticizer used to make polyurethane foam foams soft and flexible.

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate (PC) is a strong, lightweight plastic used in bulletproof glass and consumer products such as CD cases, sports equipment and toys. PC is often injected into molds to create objects with complex shapes -- for example, the blades of skates or the wings of airplanes.

PC does not break down readily in landfills because it doesn't biodegrade; instead it photodegrades over time into smaller pieces that can contaminate groundwater if they get into the environment. The recycling rate for PC has been slow due to its complexity: It's made up of several different chemicals that must be separated before they can be reused again or turned into new products like bottles or cups!

Plastics are made from a variety of different materials.

Plastics are made from a variety of different materials. These include:

• Polystyrene--A plastic that's used for packaging and foam cups, among other things. It can be recycled but not composted because it doesn't break down well in landfills and takes up space in your trash can if you try to throw it out there.
• Polyethylene--This is the type of plastic used to make grocery bags and milk jugs, as well as shrink wrap (which you might see around packaged items). It's also used in liners inside cans or bottles so that food doesn't leak out when they're sealed shut by machines at factories before being shipped off somewhere else!
• Polypropylene--This type of material has been around since 1954 when DuPont first created it by accident while trying to create something else entirely! But once they realized what they had done they went ahead with their plans anyway because now we have lots more useful stuff thanks thanks thanks thank goodness nobody got hurt during those experiments .

Conclusion

The list of materials used to make plastic is very long and ever-expanding. While some plastics are made from only one material, others may contain two or more types of polymer in order to achieve certain properties like strength or flexibility. The most common plastics are polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and vinyl chloride (VC). These four types account for over half of all plastics produced worldwide each year!