Chloe Zhang
Plastic is a synthetic material that has revolutionised modern life. It is derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and, most commonly, crude oil. The process of converting these raw materials into plastic involves a series of chemical reactions and transformations. Crude oil, for example, is heated and distilled into fractions, one of which, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production. Through polymerisation, small molecules called monomers are linked into long chains called polymers, forming the basis of plastic. This process occurs in chemical plants that resemble oil refineries. The development of bioplastics, derived from renewable plant materials, is a growing field as the world seeks to address the environmental concerns posed by plastic waste and the finite nature of fossil fuels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Raw Materials | Crude oil, natural gas, coal, cellulose, salt, starch, carbohydrates, fats, oils, proteins from milk, eggs, blood |
| Plastic Type | Synthetic, bioplastic, bio-based, petrochemical-derived |
| Production Process | Polymerisation, polycondensation, compounding, extrusion, moulding |
| Plastic Structure | Polymers, monomers, resins, granules, powders, liquids, pellets |
| Plastic Properties | Malleability, plasticity, transparency, elasticity, ductility, brittleness, strength, durability, lightweight |
| Plastic Uses | Packaging, construction, medical devices, insulation, solar panels, windmill blades, 3D printing, clothing, technology, car parts |
| Environmental Impact | Slow decomposition rate, contributes to climate change, waste, CO2 emissions, water consumption |
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What You'll Learn
Crude oil and natural gases
Naphtha is decomposed at high temperatures of around 800°C in a steam cracker in the presence of water vapour, where it splits into light hydrocarbons known as olefins and aromatics. The olefins include ethylene, propylene and butylene, while the aromatics consist of benzene, toluene and xylene. These small molecules, known as monomers, are then linked together through polymerisation to create a large molecule (a polymer), which forms the main structure of plastics. Polymerisation involves chemically bonding monomers into chains, with one monomer connecting to the next one (dimer), and the dimer to the next one (trimer), and so on. This process occurs in refineries, where the monomers are transformed into resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene through the addition of a catalyst.
The resins are then melted and cooled, before being chopped up into small plastic pellets known as nurdles. These particles are then transported to manufacturers, who use heat to mould them into different plastic products. The process of moulding involves casting, pressing, or extruding the plastic into various shapes, such as pipes, bottles, boxes, cartons, and films. The flexibility of plastic's moulding process allows for the creation of products with unique designs, sizes, shapes, and colours.
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Polymerisation
Plastic is 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 through distillation to separate it into groups of lighter components called fractions. One of these fractions, naphtha, is a crucial compound for plastic production.
During polymerisation, smaller molecules called monomers or building blocks are chemically combined to create larger molecules or macromolecules. Hundreds of such macromolecules collectively form a polymer. Different polymerisation techniques are applied to obtain polymers with unique properties suitable for various applications. For example, ethylene monomers are polymerised to form a polyethylene polymer used for making carry bags, milk jugs, storage containers, and more.
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Natural materials
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials composed primarily of polymers. While most plastics are produced from natural gas and petroleum, a growing minority are produced from renewable resources.
Plastics can be made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil through a polymerization or polycondensation process. Cellulose, the material that makes up the cell walls of plants, is a very common natural polymer. In the nineteenth century, many materials were reported as chemistry developed during the Industrial Revolution. For example, materials that mimicked the properties of horns were developed by treating milk proteins with lye.
In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt created the first synthetic polymer by treating cellulose derived from cotton fiber with camphor. This discovery was revolutionary as it allowed humans to create new materials without being constrained by the limits of nature.
Today, synthetic plastics are derived from crude oil, natural gas, or coal. Bio-based plastics, on the other hand, are made from renewable products such as carbohydrates, starch, vegetable fats and oils, bacteria, and other biological substances.
The process of creating plastic begins with the distillation of crude oil in an oil refinery to separate the heavy crude oil into lighter components called fractions. One of these fractions, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production. The raw materials are then processed with various chemical methods to create plastic pellets, which can be extruded or shaped with a mold to become final products.
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Synthetic plastics
Another process used to produce plastics is polycondensation, which also requires specific catalysts. In the "cracking" phase, ethane and propane are broken down into smaller molecules, turning into ethylene and propylene, respectively. These small molecules, called monomers, are then combined to form a polymer chain. The polymer chains are long flexible chains of chemical compounds that represent the main structure of plastics. In this "polymerisation" process, the two elements ethylene and propylene are transformed into the resins polyethylene and polypropylene thanks to the addition of a catalyst.
Plastics are polymers, which means they are made by linking chains of molecules (monomers) together to create a large molecule (a polymer). These links make polymers strong and durable. An example of this is polystyrene. Copolymers occur when different monomers are linked together, for example, to make Nylon (polyamide). There are many kinds of polymers available, and each one has different qualities, meaning that they can be used in lots of ways.
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Bioplastics
Plastics are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil. Crude oil is separated into groups of lighter components called fractions through distillation. One of these fractions, naphtha, is a crucial compound for plastic production. The two main processes for producing plastics are polymerisation and polycondensation.
However, the plastic industry has been facing societal concerns regarding its contribution to climate change and waste. As a result, bioplastics, which are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, have been gaining interest. Bioplastics are made from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch, as well as carbohydrates, fats, and oils. They can also utilise waste materials such as straw, woodchips, sawdust, and food waste.
Overall, bioplastics offer a promising alternative to conventional plastics by utilising renewable resources, reducing environmental impacts, and providing potential solutions to plastic waste management.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is made by linking chains of molecules called monomers together to create a large molecule called a polymer. Monomers are small molecules that are not a chain, and they are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and crude oil.
Polymers are long flexible chains of chemical compounds that represent the main structure of plastics. They are made by linking monomers together to form chains, which makes polymers strong and durable.
Common monomers include vinyl, ethylene, propylene, and butylene.
Examples of polymers include polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon.
