Plastic: Thermoplastic
Most plastics we use in everyday life are thermoplastics. The more you heat plastic the more malleable (= plastic) it gets, which is its main characteristic. However, it melts in excessive heat, like a plastic bowl on a hot stove plate. This behavior distinguishes them from thermosets, which do not melt but decompose when heated.
Important thermoplastics are:
| Polyethene (PE) | Polypropene (PP) |
| Polystyrene (PS) | Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) |
| Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) | Polyamides (PA) |
| Polyester (PES) | Polyacrylates |
Please note:
The following materials are always available: steel sheets, stainless steels and non-ferrous metal, like brass, copper, nickel silver (white silver) and aluminium.
quoted from:
FU Berlin, Institute for Chemistry