Almost anywhere you go, you would have seen or used plastics for any common reasons like food packaging, industrial plastic crate basket, storage units and many more. However, how much do we know about this common material that is found everywhere on this planet? These are the 3 most common types of plastic that you may or may not know about. Let’s discover what is really in the thing, we put things into.
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET)
PETE has the most typical use of plastic for various purposes and is found in many daily human consumption products such as containers and plastic crate basket. This plastic is resistant to any form of chemical reaction from an organic substance such as food. It is waterproof, shatterproof and environmentally friendly as it can be recycled for other purposes. It also has a high tolerance for impacts and weights applied to it. This makes it a preferred choice product for daily usage due to its sturdiness and resistance to various inconvenient and safety factors.
- Polyethylene (PE)
PE is a plastic that is most commonly found and used internationally due to the flexibility that allows it to come in four different forms.
- Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
LDPE has a unique pliable nature that allows it to be used in many daily products such as grocery bags, plastic bags, transparent storage units, and disposable containers.
- Medium-Density Polyethylene (MDPE)
MDPE has an increased density as compared to LDPE, which allows this type of PE to be used for heavier purposes such as gas pipes, water, and waste plumbing pipes and screw caps for bottles and jars.
- High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
As the density for PE is increased further, the applications changes to a wider range of purposes. HDPE can be commonly found in plastic bottles and boats. It is also generally used for water or waste piping as it has a high resistance in corrosion, making it an excellent choice for the job.
- Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE)
UHMWPE may sound like it has a much denser nature than HDPE; however, the difference is only marginal. The key difference between both of them is that UHMWPE is higher in abrasion tolerant levels. This level of density is highly preferable when creating products as such artificial body parts or bulletproof vests and armour for combat gear purposes.
- Acrylic
Acrylic is a plastic commonly found in optical products like cameras and binoculars. It belongs to a group known as thermoplastics which means that it can be melted into a liquid form when heated and can be reshaped or reconstructed for other purposes. A unique property of acrylic is being resistant to many chemical and environment factors that may affect other materials. These resistances include abrasion, bulletproof, ultraviolet, glare and static preventions. This plastic is a good substitute for glass as it has a high tolerant of shattering. This makes acrylic a much more viable material to choose as it is more durable and has similar transparent characteristics of glass.
Now you would have a better understanding of plastics that we see and use commonly in our daily lives. As such, you can even identify and make an informed choice when selecting which plastic to use for a particular purpose.