Polymer materials

Polymeric materials are a group of materials including plastics, rubbers, adhesives, paints, foams, resins and many other materials that are used in daily life. These materials entered human life in the 20th century and have become the basis for many developments in the advancement of technology and changing human lifestyle.

Polymer materials are mainly produced from oil and gas derivatives; However, some polymer materials are bio-based, that is, they are made from materials extracted from nature. Some other polymer materials are extracted directly from nature. For example, natural rubber is obtained from the sap of rubber trees.

Polymers are generally divided into two major categories: thermoplastics and thermosets.

Thermoplastics, which are more simply called plastics or plastic materials, are a large group of polymer materials that melt when heated and solidify again upon cooling. This feature makes plastic materials, like metals, capable of being recycled, and therefore, when recycled, they enter the environment less than other polymers.

While thermosets are polymers that do not melt due to heat but harden or burn; Therefore, they cannot be recycled. Due to environmental issues, their production is decreasing compared to plastics. An example of thermostats is melamine, which is used in the production of melamine dishes. Many rubbers, paints, resins and adhesives are also thermostatic.