Plastics Glossary
Polymer: the compound form of a chemical made from a number of
monomers.
Monomer: the simple form of a chemical (derived from oil, coal or natural
gas) from which plastic is made.
String: a long thin piece of material.
Join: to bring together to connect. The place where two or more materials are
connected
Chain: a number of atoms that are linked together.
Modifying compound : chemical combinations of materials which make a
finished plastic product.
Thermoplastics: a type of plastic which softens with heat and hardens with
cooling.
Thermoset: a type of plastic which is cured or hardened by heat.
Biodegradable: describing the ability of plastics to break down into safe
products by the action of living. Organisms: βιοδιαλυτός
Disintegrate : to fall apart, especially into small pieces. (διαλύομαι,
αποσυντίθεμαι).
Incineration: the process of burning a material to dispose of it
.(αποτέφρωση)
Emissions: the production of radiation by a radio transmitting station.
(εκπομπή)
Recycling: to prepare a material so that it can be used again e.g. paper,
glass.
Sort: to arrange things into different groups.
Extrusion: a process in which hot molten plastic is squeezed through a
nozzle to make long lengths of special shapes like pipes.
Blow extrusion: a process where hot molten plastic is blown up like a balloon
with compressed air. This stretches the plastic and makes it thin. The end of
the balloon is pinched together by rollers, to hold the air in and make it flat.
The flat tube is then wound on to a big roll.
Blow molding: a process in which a little bit of hot soft plastic is squeezed
into the end of a mould. Compressed air is used to blow a big babble inside
the plastic. The plastic swells out like a balloon until it fills up the whole mould.
Injection molding: process in which molten plastic is squeezed into a mould
to make lots of identical objects. They can be very small like a washer or quite
large like a bowl or a clothes basket.
Reaction injection moulding: a process in which two chemicals are mixed
together and squirted into a mould. The chemical react together. This is how
they make car bumpers, some disposable cups and plates and the meat trays
in supermarkets.
Fabrication: a process in which sheets of plastic are cut to shape and then
folded by heating a narrow line through the plastic. When it is soft the sheet
will bend along the heated line. Sheets can be joined together by gluing or by
welding. The join is heated with hot air and then a thin filler rod is forced into
the gap.
Polyethylene: πολυαιθυλένιο
Styrene: στυρόλιο.