An Introduction to Plastics

I'm just guessing that everyone out there knows what plastic is. We call plastics plastic because they are pliable, that is, they can be shaped and moulded easily. As plastics become easier to mould and shape when they're hot, and melt when they get hot enough, we call them thermoplastics. This name can help you tell them apart from cross-linked materials that don't melt, called thermosets. But like I said, everyone knows what plastic is, so tell you this. Well, there are a few nuances and details of what makes a plastic a plastic that it might be useful to go over. …