Alexei Volkov
Plastic is a broad term for a huge class of materials that are either synthetic or naturally occurring. They are made from polymers, which are big molecules that are shaped like long strings, usually tons of carbon in a big chain. Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil through a polymerization or polycondensation process. Polymerization is a chemical process in which monomers (small molecules that are not a chain) are linked together to form a polymer. The ingredients of plastic depend on the thread type, and can come from many sources, such as fossil fuels like petroleum.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | "Plastic" is a huge class of materials that are either synthetic or naturally occurring and are shaped when soft and then hardened to retain the given shape. |
| Composition | Plastics are high molecular weight organic polymers composed of various elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and chlorine. They can also be produced from the silicon atom. |
| Common Monomers | Vinyl, ethylene, and polyethylene. |
| Common Polymers | Polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polytetrafluoroethylene. |
| Production | Plastics are produced in chemical plants by the polymerization of their starting materials (monomers). |
| Uses | Packaging (40%), building and construction (20%), medical devices, and light-weight construction materials. |
| Environmental Impact | Plastics are the basis of widespread environmental concerns due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems. |
| Global Production | Between 1950 and 2017, 9.2 billion metric tons of plastic were produced, with more than half made since 2004. In 2021, global production reached 400 million tons per year. |
| Production Regions | About 100 companies account for 90% of global production, with roughly half in East Asia, China being the largest single producer. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is made through polymerisation or polycondensation
Plastic is derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and, most commonly, crude oil. Crude oil is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds and needs to be processed before it can be used to make plastic.
The production of plastics begins with the distillation of crude oil in an oil refinery. This separates the heavy crude oil into groups of lighter components, called fractions. Each fraction is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains (chemical compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen), which differ in terms of the size and structure of their molecules. One of these fractions, naphtha, is the crucial compound for the production of plastics.
Plastics are made through polymerisation or polycondensation. These are the two main processes used to produce plastics, and they both require specific catalysts.
Polymerisation
Polymerisation is a process in the petroleum industry where light olefin gases (gasoline) such as ethylene, propylene, and butylene (i.e. monomers) are converted into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons (polymers). This happens when monomers are chemically bonded into chains. There are two different mechanisms for polymerisation:
- Addition polymerisation involves adding together monomers in a long chain. One monomer connects to the next and so on, when a catalyst is introduced, in a process known as chain growth polymers, adding one monomer unit at a time. Some addition polymerisation reactions are considered to create no side-products and the reaction can be performed in the vapour phase. Common examples of addition polymers are polyethylene, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride.
- Condensation polymerisation includes joining two or more different monomers, by the removal of small molecules such as water. Dimers can then join to form tetramers (four units) and so on. These byproducts are necessary to be removed for the success of the reaction.
Polycondensation
Polycondensation is a process similar to polymerisation, where monomers are linked together to form long polymer chains. Each polymer has its own properties, structure and size depending on the various types of basic monomers used.
Bioplastics
While most plastics are produced from petrochemicals, bioplastics are made substantially from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch. The development of bioplastics is a growing field. The first synthetic bioplastic, termed Parkesine, was created by Alexander Parkes in the UK in 1856. It was made of cellulose nitrate.
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Plastic is made from natural materials
Plastic is a broad term for a huge class of materials that share the common feature of being made from polymers. These polymers are large molecules that are shaped like long strings, with tons of carbon in a big chain. Plastics are made by linking chains of molecules called monomers together to create a large molecule or polymer.
Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil through a polymerization or polycondensation process. Polymerization involves chemically joining monomers together in two ways: addition polymerization or condensation polymerization. In addition polymerization, monomers join by adding on to the end of the last unit in the chain, like making a chain of paper clips. Condensation polymerization occurs when a small molecule is eliminated as the monomers join together.
The production of plastics begins with the distillation of crude oil in an oil refinery. This separates the heavy crude oil into groups of lighter components, called fractions. Each fraction is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains, which are chemical compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen. One of these fractions, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production.
Plastics can also be made from other organic sources, including proteins from milk, eggs, and blood. Natural latex rubber, for example, is a plant goo that contains naturally formed polymers. These polymers are extracted and enhanced chemically to form a sturdy, flexible material.
Synthetic plastics are made by humans through a reaction known as polymerization, which can be performed in two ways: addition polymerization and polycondensation. Both processes require specific catalysts.
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Plastic is a polymer
Polymers are formed by linking chains of molecules, known as monomers, together to create a large molecule. This process is called polymerization. Monomers are small molecules that are not a chain. During polymerization, monomers are chemically joined together, typically in one of two ways: addition polymerization or condensation polymerization. In addition polymerization, monomers join by adding on to the end of the last unit in the chain, like making a chain of paper clips. In condensation polymerization, a small molecule is eliminated as the monomers join together.
Plastics are high molecular weight organic polymers composed of various elements, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and chlorine. They can also be produced from the silicon atom, as seen with silicone breast implants or silicone hydrogel for optical lenses. The "ingredients" of plastic depend on the "thread type", and can come from many sources, just as different kinds of fabric thread come from many sources.
Today, most plastics are synthetic and are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil through a polymerization or polycondensation process. However, bioplastics are made from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch.
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Plastic is made from fossil fuels
Plastic is a broad category of materials that are either synthetic or naturally occurring. Plastic is made from polymers, which are long chains of molecules called monomers. The word 'polymer' comes from the Greek words 'poly', meaning 'many', and 'meros', meaning 'parts' or 'units'.
Plastics are typically made from fossil fuels, such as petroleum, and other natural materials like cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil. Crude oil, a complex mixture of thousands of compounds, is processed in an oil refinery to separate it into lighter components, called fractions. One of these fractions, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production.
The two main processes used to produce plastics are polymerisation and polycondensation, both of which require specific catalysts. In polymerisation, monomers are linked together to form long chains, creating polymers. This process can be performed through addition polymerisation or condensation polymerisation. In addition polymerisation, monomers are added one by one to the growing chain, while in condensation polymerisation, a small molecule is eliminated as the monomers join together.
The ingredients and 'thread type' of plastics vary, just as the threads used for fabrics differ. The molecules in the oils burned for fuel or lubrication are similar to the molecules that form the 'threads' in plastic. These molecules are linked and tangled to form the solid structure of plastic.
The production of plastic involves compounding, where blends of materials are melt-blended and then pelletised. These pellets are then transformed through extrusion or moulding processes into finished or semi-finished products.
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Plastic is made from monomers
Plastic is a broad term for a huge class of materials that are either synthetic or naturally occurring. They are typically made from polymers, which are large molecules that are shaped like long strings or chains. These polymers are composed of various elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and chlorine.
Plastics are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil. Crude oil, a complex mixture of thousands of compounds, is processed in an oil refinery to separate it into lighter components called fractions. One of these fractions, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production.
The process of converting these natural materials into plastics involves polymerization or polycondensation, which links together chains of molecules called monomers to create a large molecule or polymer. Monomers are small molecules that are not yet part of a chain. During polymerization, monomers are chemically joined together, typically through addition polymerization or condensation polymerization. In addition polymerization, monomers are added one by one to the growing chain, forming long chains of molecules.
The type of monomers and how they are arranged determine the shape and properties of the resulting polymer. For example, the monomers may form a linear arrangement like a chain, or they may branch out like tree branches. By changing the type of monomers and rearranging their patterns, we can alter the shape, molecular weight, and other chemical and physical properties of the plastic.
While most plastics are produced from petrochemicals, bioplastics are made from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and crude oil through a polymerisation or polycondensation process.
Polymerisation is a process of linking chains of molecules (monomers) together to create a large molecule (a polymer).
Some examples of polymers include polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polytetrafluoroethylene.
Plastics are lightweight, durable, and malleable, making them suitable for a wide range of applications such as packaging, construction, healthcare, and renewable energy generation.
