Chloe Zhang
Plastic resin is the core ingredient for all plastic products. Synthetic plastics are derived from crude oil, natural gas, or coal, while bio-based plastics come from renewable products such as carbohydrates, fats, and oils. The process of making plastic can be altered in numerous ways, leading to a lot of variety even among common plastics. Resin, on the other hand, is mainly derived from plants. It is a highly viscous and solid substance obtained from synthetic or natural sources. It has the property of being convertible into polymers and is used as a supplement for most plastic-based substances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic resin base | Crude oil, natural gas, coal, or other petrochemicals |
| Plastic resin creation | Cracking hydrocarbons under high heat and pressure |
| Plastic resin composition | Organic polymers, synthetic or natural, of high molecular weight |
| Plastic resin additives | Used to provide targeted properties such as toughness, flexibility, elasticity, and colour |
| Resin | Derived from plants, a natural product, environment-friendly, less stable, full of impurities, viscous and gluey substance |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic resin is derived from petrochemicals
The polymerization of petrochemicals is what leads to the creation of plastic resins. Polymers are formed when molecules called hydrocarbons are encouraged to create chains. To create these hydrocarbon chains, compounds (monomers) such as ethylene are placed under pressure and mixed with a catalyst until they become a liquid that eventually solidifies into plastic pellets or resin. The plasticity of these polymers allows them to be moulded, extruded, or compressed into various shapes, including films, fibres, plates, tubes, and boxes.
Additives are often mixed with the polymer resin to create specific properties such as toughness, flexibility, elasticity, and colour. These additives can constitute a significant portion of the final product, such as in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), where they can make up to 80% of the volume. However, these additives can also leach out during normal use or in landfills, potentially leading to environmental concerns.
While most plastic resins are derived from petrochemicals, there is a growing field of bioplastics made from renewable plant materials like cellulose and starch. The development of bioplastics is driven by the limited nature of fossil fuel reserves and the negative environmental impact of burning these fuels. Despite these concerns, the plastic industry continues to expand, with investments in new chemical plants and a predicted doubling of plastic production in the next 20 years.
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Resin is a natural product, obtained from plants
Resin is a natural product obtained from plants. It is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins are generally biological or synthetic in origin, but they are predominantly harvested from plants. Plant resins are produced as stem secretions, but some Central and South American plant species produce resins as pollination rewards, which are used by stingless bees in nest construction.
Plant resins are composed of a mixture of small molecules of mono, sesqui, di, and tri-terpenoids, as well as phenolic compounds, and a polymeric structure. The term "resin" is derived from the French word "resine", which comes from the Latin "resina" and may be related to the Greek "ῥητίνη" ("rhētínē"), meaning "resin of the pine".
Plant resins have a long history of human use. The oldest known use of plant resin dates back to the late Middle Stone Age in Southern Africa, where it was employed as an adhesive for stone tools. Resins have also been valued in ancient civilisations such as ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and ancient Egypt, particularly frankincense and myrrh, which were used in religious rites.
Today, plant resins are used in various applications, including traditional medicine, varnishes, adhesives, sealing waxes, perfumes, and food and drink. Some common plant resins include amber, balm of Gilead, balsam, Canada balsam, copal, dragon's blood, frankincense, myrrh, and many others. These resins are extracted from different parts of plants, such as bark, flowers, and other tissues.
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Crude oil extraction and distillation
Crude oil extraction involves drilling for the raw product from the ground. Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons with different densities, and the first step in the distillation process is to separate these hydrocarbons into broad categories, or "fractions", according to their boiling points. This is done by heating the oil and piping it through hot furnaces, where it is discharged into distillation units. The resulting liquids and vapours separate into different fractions, with the lightest fractions, including gasoline and liquefied refinery gases, rising to the top of the distillation tower, and the heaviest fractions settling at the bottom.
The distillation tower, or fractionating column, is quite tall to accommodate the large range of condensation zones, ranging from 0.5 to 6.0 metres in diameter and 6.0 to 60.0 metres tall, depending on the refinery. The lightest products, such as butane, liquid petroleum gases, and gasoline blending components, are recovered at the lowest temperatures. Mid-range products include jet fuel, kerosene, and distillates such as home heating oil and diesel fuel. The heaviest products, such as residual fuel oil, are recovered at the highest temperatures, sometimes over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
After distillation, the lower-value heavy fractions can be further processed into lighter, higher-value products through a method called "cracking". This process uses heat, pressure, catalysts, and sometimes hydrogen to split heavy hydrocarbon molecules into lighter ones. Cracking units consist of tall, thick-walled, rocket-shaped reactors and a network of furnaces, heat exchangers, and other vessels. Other refinery processes rearrange molecules rather than splitting them to add value.
The finished products are then stored temporarily in large tanks near the refinery before being transported by pipelines, trains, or trucks to locations across the country.
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Polymer chains are formed from hydrocarbon chains
Plastic is made from the byproducts of oil refinement. Crude oil is extracted from the earth and distilled through heating to separate its various components. These liquids are then altered through a process called "cracking" to create plastic.
Plastics are the result of molecules called hydrocarbons being encouraged to create chains, called polymers. These polymers are long-chain, high-molecular-weight macromolecules formed by the reaction of monomers. A polymer chain consists of many covalently bound repeating units, formed upon sequential reactions of the monomers. These monomers are multifunctional molecules that can react with each other to form homopolymers or with monomers of a different type to form copolymers.
To create these hydrocarbon chains, a compound (or monomer) such as ethylene (also called ethene) is placed under heavy pressure and mixed with a catalyst until it forms a liquid that eventually becomes plastic pellets, or resin. In the case of using ethylene, we get polyethylene. The process of making plastic can be altered in numerous ways, leading to a lot of variety even among common plastics.
Polymer chains can exist in various structures, including linear, branched, or cross-linked forms, where different chains can be interconnected. A linear or small chain is more likely to be in crystalline form. A 3D structure is formed when the main chain is functionalized by larger molecules, constituting amorphous polymers. A polymer may be thermoplastic or thermoset, depending on the arrangement of molecules. Thermoplastics present the advantage of being flexible after heating.
The susceptibility of a polymer to degradation depends on its structure. Carbon-based polymers are more susceptible to thermal degradation than inorganic polymers and are therefore not ideal for most high-temperature applications. The degradation of polyethylene occurs by random scission, or random breakage of the bonds that hold the atoms of the polymer together.
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Additives give plastic its properties
Plastic resin is the core ingredient for all plastic products. It is made from the by-products of oil refinement. When crude oil is extracted from the earth, it is a mixture of many different chemicals. Crude oil must be distilled to separate the various substances we use every day. Some of these liquids can be used to create plastic resin once they are altered through a process called cracking.
Plastic resin is defined by its organic chemical structure and its viscous liquid state or amorphous solid state (depending on temperature). The terms resin and plastic are defined by two different sets of physical and chemical properties. A particular material may meet the definition of only one, or it may meet the definition of both.
Additives are compounds added during the molding process of polymers (synthetic resins) to improve their processing performance or to enhance the properties of the resin itself. They can also be used to improve the rheological properties of plastics processing as well as moulding properties, usually with a certain lubricating effect. Additives are used to modify and improve the properties of polymers. For example, fillers are used to make plastic cheaper (usually chalk) and plasticizers are used to make polymers softer. Other additives are used for electrical stability reasons or to give polymers a certain capacity (e.g. photovoltaic agents for photolithography).
There are two types of foam additives for plastics: physical and chemical foaming agents. Physical foaming agents include compressed air nitrogen and liquid CO2, while chemical foaming agents include azodicabonamide (ADC), azisobutylric, benzene, and sullfonyl hydrazide. Slippery additives or anti-caking agents make the surface of the film rough so that air can easily interfere with the film, eliminating the vacuum effect.
The application of these additives not only makes plastic products more durable and safe but also injects new vitality into the entire plastic industry.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic resins are the core ingredient for all plastic products. They are organic polymers composed of various elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and chlorine.
Plastic resins are made from the by-products of oil refinement. Crude oil is extracted from the earth and distilled through heating to separate its different chemicals. These liquids are then altered through a process called "cracking" to create plastic resins.
Resin is derived from plants, whereas plastic is derived from petrochemicals. Resin is a natural, organic substance that is viscous and gluey, while plastic is a synthetic polymer that is dense and hard.
Examples of resin include balsam, Canada balsam, and balm of Gilead, which come from trees in the Dipterocarpaceae family. Resin has a long history and has been prized and given religious value since ancient times.
