What are thermoplastic?
In chemistry, thermoplastic is a material that remains solid at room temperature. However, when heated, the crystals dissolve beyond the glass transition temperature and it becomes a fluid.
These resins can be poured directly into molds, cooled and hardened into the desired shape. These polymers can be reheated, recycled and reshaped without losing their original properties.
Thermoplastic injection molding, thermoforming and extrusion are all common uses for these materials. They typically have high levels of strength and elasticity and are resistant to shrinkage.
What are thermoset?
Unlike most plastics, thermosets are liquid at ambient temperatures. It hardens when heated or treated with chemicals.
Thermosets provide excellent corrosion, heat and mechanical properties when thermoformed. Therefore, they are ideally suited for use in parts that must withstand high temperatures, high pressures, or a combination of these factors while still maintaining a high strength-to-weight ratio.
Therefore, it will not melt no matter how high the temperature is. Because of this, the material can be heated and formed into precise shapes without losing its original shape. However, if it is overheated while in the solid state, it may deteriorate.
Performance comparison of thermoplastics and thermosets
| Feature | Thermoplastic | Thermoset |
| Mechanical | The strength of thermoplastics comes from crystallinity. Elasticity and flexibility increase impact force (10 times higher than thermosets). | Strong, brittle and inelastic. The strength of thermosets comes from cross-linking. |
| Molecular Structure | Linear polymer: The molecular bonds are weak and linear. | Network Polymer: Strong chemical molecular bonds with a high degree of cross-linking. |
| melting point | Its melting point is lower than the degradation temperature. | Its melting point is higher than the degradation temperature. |
| Microstructure | In the solid state, they consist of hard crystalline regions and elastic amorphous regions. | In the solid state, they consist of thermoset resin and reinforcing fibers. |
| Solubility | Soluble in organic solvents. | Insoluble in organic solvents. |
| chemical resistance | Excellent chemical resistance | Heat and chemical resistant |
| recyclability | Recyclable and reusable by heating and/or pressurizing | Not recyclable |
Advantages and disadvantages of thermoplastics
| Advantage | Shortcoming |
| High quality aesthetic finish | Not suitable for all applications due to softening by heating |
| Corrosion resistant | Typically more expensive than thermoset polymers |
| Resistant to cracking | |
| Resistant to chemicals and detergents | |
| High impact resistant | |
| Good adhesion to metal | |
| recyclable | |
| Can produce rubbery and hardened crystalline surfaces |
Advantages and disadvantages of thermosets
| Advantage | Shortcoming |
| Good heat resistance at high temperatures | Not suitable for remodeling or remodeling |
| Corrosion resistance | Cannot be recycled or reused |
| waterproof | |
| High specific strength | |
| Various colors and finishes | |
| Excellent dimensional stability | |
| Typically less expensive than parts made from metal | |
| Enhanced structural integrity with variable wall thickness | |
| Lower installation and processing costs than thermoplastics |