Plastic:

Often, plastics any of a group of synthetic or natural organic materials that may be shaped when soft and then hardened, including many types of resins, resinoids, polymers, cellulose derivatives, casein materials, and proteins: used in place of other materials, as glass, wood, and metals, in construction and decoration, for making many articles, as coatings, and, drawn into filaments, for weaving. They are often known by trademark names, as Bakelite, Vinylite, or Lucite.

Types of Plastic:
Thermo Plastic. Thermosetting Plastic.

Thermoplastic:
Thermoplastic, also known as a thermosoftening plastic, is a polymer that turns to a liquid when heated and freezes to a very glassy state when cooled sufficiently. Most thermoplastics are high-molecular-weight polymers whose chains associate through weak Van der Waals forces (polyethylene); stronger dipoledipole interactions and hydrogen bonding (nylon); or even stacking of aromatic rings (polystyrene). Thermoplastic polymers differ from thermosetting polymers (Bakelite) in that they can be remelted and remoulded.

Thermosetting Plastic:
Thermosetting plastics (thermosets) refer to a variety of polymer materials that cure, through the addition of energy, to a stronger form. The energy may be in the form of heat (generally above 200 degrees Celsius), through a chemical reaction (e.g., two-part epoxy), or irradiation. Thermoset materials are usually liquid, powder, or malleable prior to curing, and designed to be molded into their final form, or used as adhesives.

Difference Between Polymers & Monomers:

Single repeating unit of a large molecule or polymer is called a monomer. A high molecular mass compound, which consist of repeating units, is called polymer .

POLYMERIZATION:
A self-addition reaction in which a number of simple molecules (monomers) are joined to form a very large molecule is called polymerization.

TYPES OF POLYMERIZATION :
There are two types of polymerization.

Addition polymerization. Condensation polymerization.

ADDITION POLYMERIZATION :
When a number of monomers undergo self-combination, resulting substance has a molecular mass many times larger than the monomer, the type of polymerization is known as Addition polymerization.

The empirical formula of addition polymer and the monomer is same. These reactions are catalyzed by peroxides or acids. Generally these reactions required a pressure of 100 atmosphere at 200oC. Examples: polyethylene, polypropylene, P.V.C(Poly Vinyl Chloride), teflone.

CONDENSATION POLYMERIZATION:
Condensation polymers are formed by the combination of monomers with the elimination of simple molecules such as H2O or CH3OH. Examples: Nylon, terylene, Bakelite.

Additives:
Most plastics contain other organic or inorganic compounds blended in. The amount of additives ranges from zero percentage for polymers used to wrap foods to more than 50% for certain electronic applications. The average content of additives is 20% by weight of the polymer.

REINFORCEMENTS:
Other additives enhance the strength of a material. Some reinforcing materials are carbon, glass, mica, and aramids. They may be in the form of short fibers, continuous filaments, mats, spheres, flakes, etc. These reinforcements usually increase the material's strength at the expense of impact resistance. The use of reinforcements in plastics permits them to be used at higher temperatures and loads with greater dimensional stability. The freedom of design, high strength, and light weight of composite materials are permitting significant advances in technology in the aerospace and aviation fields. Reinforcements tend to make stock shapes, such as rods, tubes, slabs, etc., more difficult to machine because of increased tool wear.

COLOURANTS:
Another group of additives are colorants that provide the desired color to the material. The colorants may be organic dyes or inorganic powder. The colorant chosen must be compatible with the base plastic, shaping process, and the proposed usages for the finished material. For example, a colorant must also

withstand high temperatures and be weatherable if the material is to be extruded and then used outdoor.

Plasticizer:
Plasticizers or dispersants are additives that increase the plasticity or fluidity of a material. The dominant applications are for plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The properties of other materials are also improved when blended with plasticizers including concrete, clays, and related products.

Filler:
Fillers are particles added to material (plastics, composite material, concrete) to lower the consumption of more expensive binder material or to better some properties of the mixtured material.

Aniline Formaldehyde Resins:

A family of thermoplastics synthesized by condensing aniline and formaldehyde in an acid solution exhibiting high dielectric strength.

Aniline:
Aniline, phenylamine, or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C6H5NH2. It is an organic chemical compound, specifically an aryl amine, consisting of a phenyl group attached to an amino group.

Farmaldehyde:
A colorless gaseous compound, HCHO, the simplest aldehyde, used for manufacturing melamine and phenolic resins, fertilizers, dyes, and embalming fluids and in aqueous solution as a preservative and disinfectant Formaldehyde (systematic name: methanal) is an organic compound with the formula CH2O. ). Formaldehyde is a good electrophile, participating in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions with aromatic compounds, and can undergo electrophilic addition reactions with alkenes and aromatics. Formaldehyde undergoes a Cannizzaro reaction in the presence of basic catalysts to produce formic acid and methanol.

References:
http://www.medicinenet.com/plastic/article.htm http://www.whatisplastic.com/ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plastic http://www.excellentpolybagsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Recycle-PlasticBags-logo.bmp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic http://plastics.inwiki.org/Thermosetting_plastic http://www.ehow.com/info_8666880_difference-between-polymers-monomers.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerization http://www.jce.divched.org/JCESoft/CCA/CCA5/MAIN/1ORGANIC/ORG16/TRAM16/A/055 0109/MOVIE.HTM http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Aniline