Plastics

• Compounding, fabrication (compression, injection, blown film and

extrusion
• Preparation, properties and applications – PVC, polycarbonates and
Bakelite
• Mention some examples of plastic materials used in electronic
gadgets
• Recycling of e-plastic waste- waste to health
Plastic
• Plastic is defined as a material that is derived from polymers
• The word plastic comes from the Greek word “plastikos” meaning “capable of
being shaped or moulded” and, in turn, from “plastos” meaning “moulded”.
• The name "plastic" refers to the property of plasticity, the ability to deform
without breaking.
• The plasticity or the state of the malleability of material during the manufacturing
process enables it to be cast, pressed or extruded into various shapes, such as
films, fibre, plate, tube, bottles, boxes, among many other such examples.
• For example, the stamped or forged aluminium exhibits plasticity in this context,
but is not plastic in common sense. On the other hand, certain plastics, in their
finished form, can break before deformation and are thus technically not plastic.
• All plastics are polymers but not all polymers are plastic.
Properties of Plastics
• The properties of plastics depend on the chemical composition of the subunits,
the arrangement of these subunits, and the processing method.
Properties of plastics include:
• Plastics are usually solids. They may be amorphous solids, crystalline solids, or
semicrystalline solids (crystallites).
• Plastics are usually poor conductors of heat and electricity. Most are insulators
with high dielectric strength.
• Nearly all plastics display elongation when they are stressed that is not
recovered after the stress is removed. This is called "creep."
• Plastics tend to be durable, with a slow rate of degradation.
• Pure plastics are generally insoluble in water and nontoxic. However, many of
the additives in plastics are toxic and may leach into the environment. Examples
of toxic additives include phthalates. Nontoxic polymers may also degrade into
chemicals when they are heated.
Uses of Plastic
• Plastics are highly durable, lightweight and, most significantly, can be moulded into any form
or shape. These properties are a few reasons for the use of plastics. Plastics are extremely
versatile materials that can be useful for a wide range of applications. Below given are some
applications;
• The potential to be moulded makes plastic ideal packaging material. Plastics in packaging help
keep food healthy and fresh.
• As durable and lightweight, plastics have helped in the field of electronics. From computers
and cell phones to TV and refrigerator, nearly all of the appliances around us use plastic.
• Plastics help in making safety gears such as helmets, goggles, etc.
• Plastics are also useful in the construction sector because of their low maintenance and high
durability.
• Because of plastic’s strength and it’s lightweight properties, it is useful in making toys,
electrical switches and other household goods.
• As it is non-reactive to air and water, they help store water in plastic bottles and chemicals in
chemical laboratories.
• Plastic is a weak conductor of electricity and heat, so its insulation properties help in the
coating of electrical wire and various household products like utensils handles, etc.
Advantages:
• Plastics are highly flexible and cheaper in comparison to metals.
• The manufacturing process of plastic parts is budget-friendly.
• Plastics are highly durable and can last for a longer time.
• The specific gravity of plastic is much lower, which makes it a lightweight material.
• The manufacturing process of plastic is a lot faster than metals.

Disadvantages:
• The natural decomposition of plastics will last from 400 to 1000 years and, few types of plastics
are non-degradable.
• Plastic materials affect water bodies like oceans, seas, lakes etc., killing marine animals.
• Many animals are consuming plastic products and dying on a daily basis. About 90% of all
seabirds have plastic in their stomachs.
• Plastic is widely popular in food packaging, but research studies show that eating food out of
plastic containers may cause cancer.
• Both the production and recycling of plastics produce harmful gases and residues that pollute
the air, water and soil.
Plastics generally categorize as the chemical structure of the polymer base and side
chains.
• The major categories of these classifications include acrylics, polyesters, silicones,
polyurethanes and halogenated plastics.
Plastics also categorize by the chemical process used in their syntheses, such as cross-
linking, condensation, and polyaddition.
Plastics can also categorize by their various physical properties, such as tensile
strength, hardness, resistance to heat, density, and glass transition temperature,
and their chemical properties, such as organic polymer chemistry and its resistance
and its reactions to various other chemical materials and processes, such as ionizing
radiation, oxidation and organic solvents.
Other classifications depend on characteristics that are relevant to the manufacturing
process or designing of the product.
Examples of such qualities and classes are conductive polymers, thermoplastics and
thermosets, engineering plastics and biodegradable plastics and other similar plastics
with unique structures, such as elastomers.
Engineering plastics: Engineering plastics[1] are a group of plastic materials that have
better mechanical and/or thermal properties than the more widely used
commodity plastics.
Being more expensive than standard plastics, engineering plastics are produced in
lower quantities and tend to be used for smaller objects or low-volume applications
(such as mechanical parts), rather than for bulk and high-volume ends (like containers
and packaging).
Engineering plastics have a higher heat resistance than standard plastics and are
continuously usable at temperatures up to about 150°C.
• Engineering plastics are more robust and are used to make products such as vehicle
parts, building and construction materials, and some machine parts.
• In some cases they are polymer blends formed by mixing different plastics together
(ABS, HIPS etc).
• Engineering plastics can replace metals in vehicles, reducing their weight, with a 10%
reduction improving fuel efficiency by 6-8%. Roughly 50% of the volume of modern
cars is made of plastic but this only accounts for 12-17% of the vehicle weight.[26]
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS): electronic equipment cases (e.g. computer monitors,
printers, keyboards) and drainage pipe
• High impact polystyrene (HIPS): refrigerator liners, food packaging and vending cups
• Polycarbonate (PC): compact discs, eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, traffic lights, and
lenses
• Polycarbonate + acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC + ABS): a blend of PC and ABS that creates a
stronger plastic used in car interior and exterior parts, and in mobile phone bodies
• Polyethylene + acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PE + ABS): a slippery blend of PE and ABS used in
low-duty dry bearings
• Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) (acrylic): contact lenses (of the original "hard" variety),
glazing (best known in this form by its various trade names around the world; e.g. Perspex,
Plexiglas, and Oroglas), fluorescent-light diffusers, and rear light covers for vehicles. It also forms
the basis of artistic and commercial acrylic paints, when suspended in water with the use of
other agents.
• Silicones (polysiloxanes): heat-resistant resins used mainly as sealants but also used for high-
temperature cooking utensils and as a base resin for industrial paints
• Urea-formaldehyde (UF): one of the aminoplasts used as a multi-colorable alternative to
phenolics: used as a wood adhesive (for plywood, chipboard, hardboard) and electrical switch
High-performance plastics

High-performance plastics usually expensive, with their use limited to specialised applications which
make use of their superior properties.
• Aramids: a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers used in aerospace and military
applications, includes Kevlar and Nomex, and Twaron.
• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK): strong, chemical- and heat-resistant thermoplastic; its
biocompatibility allows for use in medical implant applications and aerospace moldings. It is one of
the most expensive commercial polymers.
• Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem): a high-temperature, chemically stable polymer that does not
crystallize
• Polyimide: a high-temperature plastic used in materials such as Kapton tape
• Polysulfone: high-temperature melt-processable resin used in membranes, filtration media, water
heater dip tubes and other high-temperature applications
• Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or Teflon: heat-resistant, low-friction coatings used in non-stick
surfaces for frying pans, plumber's tape and water slides
• Polyamide-imide (PAI): High-performance engineering plastic extensively used in high performance
gears, switches, transmission and other automotive components, and aerospace parts.
• Plastic is not sold as a pure, unadulterated material but is instead mixed
with various other chemicals and materials, which are collectively known
as additives.
• These are added during the compounding stage and include substances
such as stabilizers, plasticizers and dyes, which are intended to improve
the lifespan, workability or appearance of the final item.
• Additives
• In many plastic products, the polymer is only one constituent. In order
to arrive at a set of properties appropriate to the product, the
polymer is almost always combined with other ingredients, or
additives, which are mixed in during processing and fabrication.
• Among these additives are plasticizers, colorants, reinforcements,
and stabilizers.
• Plasticizers
• Plasticizers are used to change the Tg of a polymer.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), for instance, is often mixed with nonvolatile liquids
for this reason. Vinyl siding used on homes requires an unplasticized, rigid
PVC with a Tg of 85 to 90 °C (185 to 195 °F).
• A PVC garden hose, on the other hand, should remain flexible even at 0 °C (32
°F). A mixture of 30 parts di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (also called dioctyl
phthalate, or DOP) with 70 parts PVC will have a Tg of about −10 °C (15 °F),
making it suitable for use as a garden hose.
• The plasticizer may also change the flammability, odour, biodegradability, and
cost of the finished product.
• Colorants
• For most consumer applications, plastics are coloured. The ease with
which colour is incorporated throughout a molded article is an advantage
of plastics over metals and ceramics, which depend on coatings for
colour.
• Popular pigments for colouring plastics include titanium dioxide and zinc
oxide (white), carbon (black), and various other inorganic oxides such as
iron and chromium.
• Organic compounds can be used to add colour either as pigments
(insoluble) or as dyes (soluble).
• Reinforcements
• Reinforcements, as the name suggests, are used to enhance the
mechanical properties of a plastic.
• Finely divided silica, carbon black, talc, mica, and calcium carbonate, as
well as short fibres of a variety of materials, can be incorporated as
particulate fillers. (The use of long or even continuous fibres as
reinforcement, especially with thermosets, is described below in Fibre
reinforcement.)
• Incorporating large amounts of particulate filler during the making of
plastics such as polypropylene and polyethylene can increase their
stiffness.
• Stabilizers
• In order for a plastic to have a long and useful life in any application, the properties of
that plastic should change as little as possible with time. Stabilizers are added, usually
in small quantities, to counter the effects of aging.
• Because all carbon-based polymers are subject to oxidation, the most common
stabilizers are antioxidants.
• Hindered phenols and tertiary amines are used in plastics in concentrations as low as
a few parts per million.
• For example, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is used in polyolefin packaging films for
foods and pharmaceuticals.
• PVC requires the addition of heat stabilizers in order to reduce dehydrohalogenation
(loss of hydrogen chloride [HCl]) at processing temperatures.
• Zinc and calcium soaps, organotin mercaptides, and organic phosphites are among
the many additives found to be effective.
• Other stabilizers are designed specifically to reduce degradation by sunlight, ozone,
and biological agents.
The processing and fabrication of plastics
• The processing of raw materials into usable forms is termed fabrication or
conversion. An example from the plastics industry would be the
conversion of plastic pellets into films or the conversion of films into food
containers.
Compounding
• The first step in most plastic fabrication procedures is compounding, the
mixing together of various raw materials in proportions according to a
specific recipe. Most often the plastic resins are supplied to the fabricator
as cylindrical pellets (several millimetres in diameter and length) or as
flakes and powders. Other forms include viscous liquids, solutions, and
suspensions.
Forming
• The process of forming plastics into various shapes typically involves
the steps of melting, shaping, and solidifying.
• As an example, polyethylene pellets can be heated above Tm, placed
in a mold under pressure, and cooled to below Tm in order to make
the final product dimensionally stable. Thermoplastics in general are
solidified by cooling below Tg or Tm. Thermosets are solidified by
heating in order to carry out the chemical reactions necessary for
network formation.
Extrusion
• In extrusion, a melted polymer is forced through an orifice with a
particular cross section (the die), and a continuous shape is formed with a
constant cross section similar to that of the orifice.
Various sorts of extrusion equipment exist which can then form the plastic
into almost any shape.
• Film blowing - Plastic films (carrier bags, sheeting)
• Blow molding - Thin-walled hollow objects in large quantities (drinks
bottles, toys)
• Rotational molding - Thick-walled hollow objects (IBC tanks)
• Injection molding - Solid objects (phone cases, keyboards)
• Spinning - Produces fibers (nylon, spandex etc)
Compression molding
• In the simplest form of compression molding, a molding powder (or
pellets, which are also sometimes called molding powder) is heated and at
the same time compressed into a specific shape.
• In one form of compression molding, a layer of reinforcing material may
be laid down before the resin is introduced. The heat and pressure not
only form the mass into the desired shape but also combine the
reinforcement and resin into an intimately bound form.
• When flat plates are used as the mold, sheets of various materials can be
molded together to form a laminated sheet.
• Ordinary plywood is an example of a thermoset-bound laminate. In
plywood, layers of wood are both adhered to one another and
impregnated by a thermoset such as urea-formaldehyde, which forms a
network on heating.
Injection molding
• It is usually slow and inefficient to mold thermoplastics using the compression molding techniques
described above. In particular, it is necessary to cool a thermoplastic part before removing it from the
mold, and this requires that the mass of metal making up the mold also be cooled and then reheated for
each part.
• Injection molding is a method of overcoming this inefficiency. Injection molding resembles transfer
molding in that the liquefying of the resin and the regulating of its flow is carried out in a part of the
apparatus that remains hot, while the shaping and cooling is carried out in a part that remains cool.
• In a reciprocating screw injection molding machine, material flows under gravity from the hopper onto a
turning screw.
• The mechanical energy supplied by the screw, together with auxiliary heaters, converts the resin into a
molten state.
• At the same time the screw retracts toward the hopper end. When a sufficient amount of resin is
melted, the screw moves forward, acting as a ram and forcing the polymer melt through a gate into the
cooled mold.
• Once the plastic has solidified in the mold, the mold is unclamped and opened, and the part is pushed
from the mold by automatic ejector pins. The mold is then closed and clamped, and the screw turns and
retracts again to repeat the cycle of liquefying a new increment of resin. For small parts, cycles can be as
rapid as several injections per minute.
Reaction injection molding
• One type of network-forming thermoset, polyurethane, is molded into parts
such as automobile bumpers and inside panels through a process known as
reaction injection molding, or RIM.
• The two liquid precursors of a polyurethane are a multifunctional isocyanate
and a prepolymer, a low-molecular-weight polyether or polyester bearing a
multiplicity of reactive end-groups such as hydroxyl, amine, or amide. In the
presence of a catalyst such as a tin soap, the two reactants rapidly form a
network joined mainly by urethane groups.
• The reaction takes place so rapidly that the two precursors have to be
combined in a special mixing head and immediately introduced into the
mold.
• However, once in the mold, the product requires very little pressure to fill and
conform to the mold—especially since a small amount of gas is evolved in the
injection process, expanding the polymer volume and reducing resistance to
flow.
Blow molding
• In this technique, a thermoplastic hollow
tube, the parison, is formed by injection
molding or extrusion. In heated form, the
tube is sealed at one end and then blown up
like a balloon. The expansion is carried out in
a split mold with a cold surface; as the
thermoplastic encounters the surface, it
cools and becomes dimensionally stable.
• Blow molding has been employed to produce
bottles of polyethylene, polypropylene,
polystyrene, polycarbonate, PVC, and PET for
domestic consumer products.
Rotational molding
• In order to make a hollow article, a split mold can be partially filled with a
plastisol or a finely divided polymer powder. Rotation of the mold while
heating converts the liquid or fuses the powder into a continuous film on
the interior surface of the mold. When the mold is cooled and opened,
the hollow part can be removed. Among the articles produced in this
manner are many toys such as balls and dolls.
 Phenol Formaldehyde resin
First(Bakelite)
synthetic polymer commercialized

Invented by Leonard Bakelite

It is a thermosetting polymer

Produced by Step growth polymerisation

It will be used in the oligomeric form and

later crosslinked to network structure

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First step is:
• Phenol react with formaldehyde in presence of acid or base to form first
ortho and para derivative of hydroxymethyl phenol by electrophilic
substitution reaction of hydroxymethyl carbocation.

Second step is:

• Condensation reaction, where the methyl hydroxy group takes a proton
from the phenol derivative and forms a methylene bridge.
• This polycondensation reaction will lead to a linear copolymer called as
novolac.
• This novolac is the prepolymer or resin or oligomer which will undergo
spontaneous crosslinking reaction to form hard Bakelite.

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 Phenol Formaldehyde resin
Para hydroxy
methyl phenol
Ortho hydroxy
methyl phenol

Hexamethylene tetra amine

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 Phenol Formaldehyde resin
• Novolac will be formed with the ratio of formaldehyde to phenol is
less than 1. (When the ratio is greater than 1, then it is called resole)

• Novolac, cannot react to form crosslinked bakelite, to initiate the

polycondensation excess formaldehyde is given by adding a catalyst
hexamethylene tetramine [(CH2)6N4].

• Hexamethylene tetramine undergoes hydrolysis to give six moles of

formaldehyde which will be used for crosslinking novolac.

• The addition of hexamethylene tetramine provides excess

formaldehyde, which converts the soluble and fusible novolac into
hard, infusible solid cross-linked structure Bakelite named after the
inventor Leo Bakeland.

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10/22/2024 Dr. Chandrasekar KUPPAN 32
 Properties:

• Phenolic resins (bakelite) are rigid, hard, scratch

resistant, infusible, water resistant

• Resistant to non oxidizing acids, salts and many

organic solvents,

• But are attacked by alkalis, because of the presence of

free hydroxyl groups in their structure.

• They possess excellent electrical insulating character.

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 Uses:
1. For making electrical insulator like switches, plugs,
switchboards, heater handles etc.

2. For making molded articles like telephone parts,

cabinets for radio and television

3. As adhesives for grinding wheels

4. In paints and varnishes

5. As hydrogen exchange resins in water

softening

6. For making bearings, used in propeller shafts for

paper industry and rolling mills.
10/22/2024 Dr. Chandrasekar KUPPAN 34
 Polycarbonate

• PC are group of thermoplastic polymers

containing carbonate groups in their
chemical structure
• They are amorphous thermoplastic
• Commercial names - Lexan, Merlon,
ZELUX, PC
• They are engineering materials, which are
strong, tough, and transparent.
Polyvinyl chloride
• he essential raw materials for PVC are derived from salt and oil. The electrolysis of salt
water produces chlorine, which is combined with ethylene (obtained from oil) to form
vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). Molecules of VCM are polymerised to form PVC resin, to
which appropriate additives are incorporated to make a customised PVC compound .
• The PVC production process consists of 5 steps:

• The extraction of salt and hydrocarbon resources

• The production of ethylene and chlorine from these resources
• The combination of chlorine and ethylene to make the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM)
• The polymerisation of VCM to make poly-vinyl-chloride (PVC)
• The blending of PVC polymer with other materials to produce different formulations
providing a wide range of physical properties.
• PVC takes less non-renewable fossil fuel to make than any other commodity plastic because unlike other
thermoplastics which are entirely derived from oil, PVC is manufactured from two starting materials;
• 57% of the molecular weight derived from common salt
• 43% derived from hyrdocarbon feedstocks (increasingly ethylene from sugar crops is also being used for
PVC production as an alternative to ethylene from oil or natural gas)
• Whilst PVC is most frequently made from salt and oil, in some regions of the world PVC is made
without using oil feedstock at all (substituting oil-derived hydrocarbon with bio-derived
hydrocarbon feedstock). PVC is therefore far less oil-dependent than other thermoplastics. It is
also highly durable and energy efficient across a range of applications, which makes for an
extremely effective use of raw materials.
•
• There are over 50 quadrillion tonnes of salt exist dissolved in the sea, with over 200billion tonnes of salt
available underground - reserves of this material are clearly abundant
• Ethylene from oil equates to 0.3% of annual oil usage, but increasingly etheylene from sugar crops is also
being used for PVC production
• Products and bi-products of PVC manufacture include Chlorine and
Caustic Soda, two of perhaps the most important manufacturing
"ingredients" not only for PVC manufacture, but many other
applications. Chlorine is used in the manufacture of life-saving
medication, indeed 85% of all pharmaceuticals. Caustic Soda too has
many key, everyday applications, including the following applications:
pulp and paper manufacture, soap and surfactant manufacture,
detergents and cleaners, aluminia extraction, textiles and in the food
industry
• PVC's compatibility with many different kinds of additives is one of the materials many
strengths and is what makes it such a highly versatile polymer. PVC can be plasticised to
make it flexible for use in flooring and medical products. Rigid PVC, also known as PVC-U
(The U stands for "unplasticised") is used extensively in building applications such as
window frames.
• The functional additives used in all PVC materials include heat stabilisers, lubricants, and
in the case of flexible PVC, plasticisers. Optional additives, include a range of substances
from processing aids, impact modifiers, thermal modifiers, UV stabilisers, flame
retardants, mineral fillers, pigments, to biocides, and blowing agents for specific
applications. The actual PVC polymer content in some flooring applications can be as low
as 25% by mass, the remainder accounted for by additives.
• Its compatibility with additives allows for the possible addition of flame retardants
although PVC is intrinsically fire retardant because of the presence of chlorine in the
polymer matrix.
• 3.13 Plasticisers
• A plasticiser is a substance which when added to a material, usually a plastic, makes it flexible, resilient and easier to handle. Early examples of
plasticisers include water to soften clay and oils to plasticise pitch for waterproofing ancient boats.

The selection of plasticisers depends on the final properties required by the final product, and indeed whether the product is for a flooring
application or a medical application. There are more than 300 different types of plasticisers of which about 50-100 are in commercial use. For
more information on plasticisers, please see http://www.plasticisers.org/
• The most commonly used plasticisers are phthalates which can be divided into two distinct groups with very different applications and
classifications;

Low Phthalates: Low molecular weight (LMW) phthalates contain eight or less carbon atoms in their chemical backbone. These include, DEHP,
DBP, DIBP and BBP. The use of these phthalates in Europe is limited to certain specialised applications.

High Phthalates: High molecular weight (HMW) phthalates are those with 7 - 13 carbon atoms in their chemical backbone. These include:
DINP, DIDP, DPHP, DIUP and DTDP. HMW phthalates are safely used in many everyday including cables and flooring.

Speciality plasticisers, such as adipates, citrates, benzoates and trimeliltates are used where special physical properties are required such as
the ability to withstand very low temperatures or where increased flexibility is important.

Many of the PVC products we use everyday but tend to take for granted contain phthalate plasticisers. They include everything from lifesaving
medical devices such as medical tubing and blood bags, to footwear, electrical cables, packaging, stationery, and toys. In addition, phthalates
are used in other non-PVC applications such as paints, rubber products, adhesives and some cosmetics.
 4 Benefits of PVC
PVC has excellent electrical insulation properties, making it ideal for cabling applications. Its good impact strength
and weatherproof attributes make it ideal for construction products.
•PVC has extensive European food contact and medical approvals
•PVC is easy to process, long lasting, tough and light
•PVC consumes less primary energy during production than any of the other commodity plastics

With high clarity and excellent organoleptic properties (no transfer of taint to food) it is equally suited for use in
short term applications such as specialised packaging.
•PVC has a relatively small carbon footrpint, the below infographic indicates the CO2 impact PVC compared to
other products

•PVC windows help to cut energy bills and PVC-based windows account for most BFRC ‘A’ Rated Energy Efficient
Windows
•PVC is fully recyclable. Due to its properties it reprocesses well and can be recycled into second (or third life)
applications with ease.
• 5 Applications
• PVC is a versatile material that offers many possible applications,
these include; window frames, drainage pipe, water service pipe,
medical devices, blood storage bags, cable and wire insulation,
resilient flooring, roofing membranes, stationary, automotive interiors
and seat coverings, fashion and footwear, packaging, cling film, credit
cards, vinyl records, synthetic leather and other coated fabrics.
• PVC has been used extensively in a wide range of construction products for over half a century. PVC's strong, lightweight,
durable and versatile characteristics make it ideal for window profiles. PVC's inherent flame retardant and excellent electrical
insulation properties make it ideal for cabling applications.
• Typical example of PVC construction products include:
• Window and door profiles, conservatories and atria
• Pipes and fittings
• Power, data and telecoms wiring and cables
• Cable and services ducting
• Internal and external cladding
• Roofing and ceiling systems and membranes
• Rainwater, soil and waste systems
• Flooring
• Wallcoverings
• Unplasticised PVC is one of the stiffest polymers at normal ambient temperature and shows little deterioration after many years
in service.
• PVC is versitile and can be used for different colours and effects, often being used as an alternative to traditional wood frames as
they offer tremendous energy-saving potential at low cost.
macopoeia for this purpose. The nature of the material means that blood can be stored safely for longer.

ransfusion sets, blood vessels for artificial kidneys, catheters, blood bags, containers for intravenous solution giving sets,
d blister and dosage packs for pharmaceuticals and medicines
• 5.3 Electronics
• PVC was first used as cable insulation as a replacement for rubber
during the Second World War and continues to be used widely to this
day due to its flexibility, ease of handling in installation and inherent
flame retardation.

PVC cables do not harden and crack over time and find use in many
applications from telecommunications to electric blankets.
• ypical examples of PVC automotive components include:
• Instrument panels and associated mouldings
• Interior Door Panels and Pockets
• Sun Visors
• Seat Coverings
• Mud Flaps
• Underbody Coating
• Auto Harness Wiring
• PVC brings both high performance qualities and important cost benefits to the automotive industry.
Independent research by Mavel Consultants has shown that the typical cost of using alternative
materials is in a range 20-100% higher per component.
• Automotive applications: Instrument panels and associated mouldings, interior door panels and
pockets, sun visors, seat coverings, headlining, seals, mud flaps, underbody coating, floor coverings,
exterior side moulding and protective strips and anti-stone damage protection.
• Commercial production (1)In simple terms, salt dissolved in water is
chemically decomposed by passing an electric
current through it. This produces chlorine,
caustic soda and hydrogen. The oil or gas is
refined and cracked to give ethylene.
• When the ethylene and chlorine are combined, the
product is ethylene dichloride this can again be
transformed to produce vinyl chloride, the basic
building block of polyvinyl chloride or PVC.
• Commercial production (2)The process of polymerisation' links together
the vinyl chloride molecules to form chains of
PVC.
• The PVC produced in this way is in the form of a
white powder. This is not used alone, but blended
with other ingredients to give formulations for a
wide range of products.
• PVC todayToday PVC has become the second largest commodity
plastic after polyethylene. World production in
1997 was estimated to be around 23 million
tonnes.
• PropertiesPVC polymer is chemically stable, neutral and
non-toxic.
• PVC's major benefit is its compatibility with
many different kinds of additives, making it a
highly versatile polymer.
• PVC has excellent electrical insulation
properties,good impact strength and weatherproof
attributes
• Where is PVC used? PVC in Medical Applications PVC in
Transport PVC in Building and Construction PVC
in Toys PVC in Consumer Goods and Everyday Life
PVC in Packaging PVC in Art and Design
Components of E-waste That
Can be Recycled
• Plastic
• Plastic materials may be retrieved and sent for recycling. The recyclers can then use the plastic materials to manufacture items like plastic sleepers and vineyard stakes. You can also get fence posts, plastic
trays, insulators, equipment holders, and much more.
• Metal
• Metals can also be retrieved and recycled to manufacture newer steel products and metals.
• Glass
• You can extract glass from CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes) of computer monitors and televisions. But there’s a little problem here. CRTS contains several hazardous substances, such as lead. And this is
dangerous to both human health and the immediate environment. This makes it difficult to retrieve a glass from CRTs.
• However, there are certain steps you may take to ensure safer CRT recycling.
• First, separate the CRT from the monitor or television. Then shred the CRT into small pieces. Remove the metals with over-band magnets. This helps you remove ferrous and even non-ferrous objects
from that glass.
• After this, use washing lines to clear phosphors and oxides from that glass. The last step is called glass sorting. This is where you separate non-leaded from leaded gas. You can then use the extract to
make newer screens.
• Mercury
• Devices containing mercury may be sent to recycling facilities using specialized technology to eliminate mercury. The end product of this elimination includes metric instruments, dental amalgams, and
fluorescent lighting.
• Circuit Boards
• There are accredited and specialized companies smelting and recovering resources like tin, gold, silver, copper, palladium, and valuable metals.
• Hard Disk
• When shredded and processed, you can recover aluminum ingots from hard disks. These are particularly useful for automobiles.
• Toner and Ink Cartridges
• Recyclers in various manufacturing industries that remanufacture them take these toners and ink cartridges for recycling. They then use retrieved plastic and metals as raw materials for other products.
• Batteries
• You can take your scrap batteries to specialist recyclers to recover cadmium, steel, nickel, and cobalt for re-use in new batteries. They are also useful for fabricating stainless steel.
• Apart from the listed objects, there is an endless list of other objects. But, overall, there’s kind of hack to recycling any item or component. And no, e-waste recycling is not a one size fits all approach.
However, there is a general way to go about it.
• Step-by-Step Process of E-waste Recycling
• Recycling electronics is an often challenging activity. This is because e-scraps are typically sophisticated and manufactured
from diverse elements such as metals, plastics, and glass. While this process often varies, there is a general process.
• Step 1: Collecting and Transporting
• This is the first stage of recycling e-waste. Here, recyclers place take-back booths or collection bins in specific places. When
these bins get filled, the recyclers then transport the e-wastes to recycling facilities and plants.
• Step 2: Shredding and Sorting
• After collecting and transporting, the next step is to shred and sort the e-waste. The success of subsequent separation relies
on shredding. And this is why efficiency is essential at this stage.
• Shredding involves breaking e-waste into smaller pieces for proper sorting. With the use of hands, these tiny prices get
sorted and then manually dismantled. This is typically labor-intensive as waste items are, at this stage, separated to retrieve
different parts.
• After this, the materials get categorized into core materials and components. Then, these items get sorted into various
categories. Typically, these category includes items that you can re-use as they are and those that require further recycling
processes.
• In any case, e-wastes are often manually sorted, while compounds such as fluorescent light, batteries, UPS batteries, and
toner cartridges should not be crushed or shredded by hand.
• Step 3: Dust Extraction
• The tiny waste particles get smoothly spread via a shaking process on the conveyor belt. The
smoothly spread e-waste pieces then get broken down even further. At this point, the dust gets
extracted and discarded in an environmentally compliant manner. This way, there is no
environmental degradation.
• Step 4: Magnetic Separation
• After this, a strong overhead magnet helps you separate steel and iron from other wastes. This way,
you have successfully recycled the steel from the waste stream.
• However, some mechanical processes may sometimes be required to separate circuit board, copper,
and aluminum from other wastes particles. And this is especially where they are mostly plastic.
• Step 5: Water Separation
• After this, water separation tech becomes relevant to separate the glass from the plastic.
• You can then send leads that contain glass to smelters to use in the production of batteries, x-ray
tubes, and new CRTs.
• Step 6: Purification of Waste Stream
• The next thing is locating and extracting leftover metals from plastics
to purify the waste stream further.
• Step 7: Preparing Recycled Materials For Sale
• The final stage is preparing recycled materials for sale. Here, the
materials separated during SSS get prepared for sale as raw materials
to produce new electronics.
• Benefits of E-waste Recycling
• Now that you know about the stages, you might be wondering what’s in for me. Not
to worry, there are several benefits that you can derive from e-waste recycling.
• 1. E-waste Recycling Helps to Conserve Available Natural Resources
• E-waste recycling helps recover valuable materials from electronic products that are
either old or no longer used. In turn, this saves and conserves natural resources.
• This is because manufacturers can now obtain raw materials from recycled waste.
Consequently, there is less need to go to earth for raw materials. So, yes, there is
less need to get copper or lead or metal from mother nature. You will need to
remember that these materials are not inexhaustible to realize how much good this
represents.
• 2. It Prioritizes Environmental Protection
• As you may have observed from the processes explained above, e-waste recycling prioritizes
environmental protection. It seeks to prioritize properly handling, processing and managing
hazardous and toxic substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. All substances you may find in
your e-waste stream.
• As you have read, as one of the sub-steps of e-waste processing, any dust sorted from shredded
particles must be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. This way, the hazards that
these elements usually pose to our environment get substantially reduced, thanks to e-waste
recycling.
• 3. Creates Jobs
• E-waste recycling is creating new jobs for persons such as professional recyclers. What’s more is that,
by so doing, it has created a secondary market where recycled materials are the primary commodity.
• The Environmental Protection Agency released findings that show the magnitude of economic
benefits that comes from e-waste recycling. Guess what. This even beats the results derived at the
REI Study earlier in 2016.
• 4. Saves Landfills and Reduces Global Warming
• Usually, uncollected e-wastes get dumped at incinerators and landfills. By
recycling e-waste, we are reducing the amount of e-wastes pilling up at
these places.
• This is because two-thirds of waste on landfills are biodegradable and
capable of breaking down and returning to their natural elements. As these
wastes break down and decompose, they produce harmful gases (Methane
and CO2) – greenhouse gases – which heavily contribute to global warming.
• Since landfills also pollute the water and soil in our local environment,
activities like e-waste recycling, which seek to reduce these environmental
concerns are not merely beneficial, but also life-saving.
• Electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing waste on the planet,
with an annual growth rate of 3–4%. It is estimated that e-waste
generation will reach 52.2 million tonnes per annum by 2021.
Presently, only 15% of e-waste is recycled. One of the most significant
constituents of e-waste is plastics, accounting for almost for 20% of it.
Despite several technological developments, their recycling is largely
hindered due to presence of flame retardants. In this paper, we
review some of the notable existing and emerging technologies such
as microfactories being employed for e-waste plastics. Furthermore,
we present their limitations, advantages and potential for future
development.
• Present technologies
This section of the manuscript will review some of the prominent
recycling methods
and technologies presently being employed for recycling e-waste
plastics across the
globe. Traditionally, plastics recycling has been classified broadly into
4 categories (see
Fig. 1) and the same categorisation can be applied to e-waste plastics.
[9]
• Plastic in waste electronics (e-waste) is an environmental time bomb that
has been overlooked, say campaigners.
• Plastic accounts for about 20% of the 50 million tonnes of e-waste
produced each year, which is expected to more than double to 110m
tonnes by 2050.
• A UN-supported campaign is calling on consumers to favour electronic
devices that use recovered plastic.
• "The amount of e-waste increasing annually is tremendous,"
• "At the moment, we are generating roughly 50 million tonnes per year
globally, and it is expected that it will reach 110 million tonnes in 2050 if we
do not change our existing business and consumption practices."
• India generates 2.7 million tonnes of E-Waste annually. Of this, over 60 percent is generated by 65 cities. About 70 percent of the total Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment (WEEE) come from ten states . Mumbai leads the country for generating the highest E-Waste, followed by Delhi and Bangalore.
Among states in the country, Maharashtra is again Plastics are a significant constituent of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), about 30% by
weight[1]. According to a study in 2004, four polymers, namely ABS, polypropylene, polystyrene and polyurethane represent more than 70% of the plastics
contained in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment(WEEE) .There are other polymers also used in EEE. Although the proportion of plastics in the EEE
has increased, the total weight of plastic contained in the EEE currently put on the market does not grow at the same rate because of the decrease in the
average overall weight of equipment. Plastic, which is a major component of WEEE(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), has become a major threat
due to its nonbiodegradability and high visibility in the waste stream.

• This
Paper deals with plastic material generated from obsolete
keyboards, monitor,cpu,etc.This E-plastic contains
plasticizerbisephenol-A(orBPA), as well DEHP (diethylhexyl
phthalate) and DBP (Dibutyl phthalate) ,plastic compounds
known as phthalates .Chlorinated plastics releases harmful
chemicals into the surrounding soil, which seep into ground
water or other surrounding water sources which cause serious
harm to the species that drink this water, developing heart
problems ,reproductive disease. Shredding and low temp
melting of plastic leads to Emissions of brominated dioxins,
heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Plastic is second largest
component by weight in WEEE (Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment) after electrical and electronic
equipment
• This study ensures that reusing of E-plastic as substitute in
• concrete gives technical as well as economical advantages
• and also the problem of E-plastic disposal can be solved. This
• investigation was carried out in two stages, stage 1 including
• replacement of coarse aggregates and the latter stage included
• replacement of fine aggregate. The E-plastic used was of
• discarded monitors, keyboards, mouse and C.P.U.
• E-waste can be composed of various constituents including metals, ceramics, glass and plastics
• Plastics can constitute a significant part of e-waste and can account for up to 20 % of it [6]. The
recycling of e-waste plastics can be more complicated compared to plastics from other sources due to
the presence of brominated flame retardants. The processing of plastics containing certain types of
brominated flame retardants (BFRs) or persistent organic pollutants (POP)
• Primary and secondary recycling: Mechanical recycling is probably the most widely employed form
of plastics recycling [10]. The technologies in this category can in general be said to be composed of
three main stages: size reduction, sorting and cleaning, melt processing- e.g. extrusion or injection
moulding
• Electronic waste or its components are first shredded/ granulated and then subjected to sorting via
different mechanisms such as manual sorting, eddy-current separators, magnetic separators, optical
sorters for plastics etc. depending on the target end-product. The plastics are then subjected to melt
processing techniques such as extrusion, especially for making pellets or injection moulding depending
on the desired product.
• Tertiary recycling
• Tertiary processes in case of e-waste plastics can be said to be a little different from those encountered for
plastics in other categories such as packaging or municipal waste. Much attention has been paid to research and
development of processes which are able to extract BFRs from the e-waste plastics using chemical or solvent
treatment and then process the plastics into useful products. In a way, tertiary processes for e-waste plastic also
employ primary or secondary processing after the chemical treatment, which is the core of this category.