Plastic’s popularity dates back to 1862 when Alexander Parkes invented the Parkesine. Alexander derived “Parkesine,” which is considered the “first bioplastic,” by dissolving cellulose nitrate into camphor and alcohol. His invention never became a commercial success, as it was highly flammable. However, in 1907, Leo Baekeland invented “Bakelite” containing zero molecules of natural polymer, thus launching synthetic plastic’s historic dominance in industrial production.
Leo also gave it the name “Plastic,” which comes from the Greek word “Plastikos,” meaning “can be easily shaped or molded.” Plastic’s history is fraught with controversies and astonishing breakthroughs. Nevertheless, its contribution to industrialization and civilization remains the most profound.
As an investor or business owner looking to level up your plastic production game in 2024, learning about how plastic came to be will expose you to amazing possibilities. Some of the subtopics we’ll cover include:
● Plastic composition
● A step-by-step explanation of the plastic production process
● The classification of plastics
● The benefits of plastics to the economy
● Top innovative applications of plastic in the 21st century
Plastic Composition
Plastics can be synthetic or bio-based. Synthetic plastics are made from fossil fuels: natural gas, crude oil, and coal, while bioplastics come from biomass sources such as carbohydrates, vegetable oils, algae, wood pulp, cellulose, and bacteria, one of which is saltwater microbes. You can make these plastics by converting sugar or yeast from plant-based sources after you’ve fermented and synthesized the sugar or yeast.
However, not all plastic made from biomass sources is environmentally friendly. Hence, bioplastics that can be decomposed into the earth are regarded as biodegradable plastics. In recent years, many manufacturers have begun adopting biodegradable plastics because of their biocompatibility, energy efficiency, and lower carbon footprints. Some might argue that it’s because bioplastics are more versatile and stronger.
Nevertheless, the global production and consumption of bioplastics is still significantly less than the production and consumption of synthetic plastics. According to Statista, only 2.18 million metric tons of bioplastics were produced in 2023. Biodegradable polymers (polybutylene adipate terephthalate) accounted for 4.6% of this total. The significance is mostly felt when you consider that 390.7 million metric tons of plastics were produced in 2021.
A Step-by-Step Explanation of the Plastic Production Process
Step 1: The Plastic Extraction Process
Plastics are derived from polymers which can be extracted from synthetic and biomass sources. The majority of plastics on earth are derived from fossil fuels. The process begins by drilling crude oil or natural gas from underground reservoirs or mining coal. Crude oil and natural gas are then transported to a refinery to be distilled, while coal is sent to a coal mine.
Step 2: The Plastic Refinement Process
The plastics are heated in a furnace and sent to a distillation tower bearing temperature gradients, so the liquids and vapors are separated by boiling points into different fractions. The lightest fractions, like gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas, stay at the top of the distillation unit, where they reverse to liquids. Heavy fractions such as diesel, lubricating, and fuel oils stay at the bottom of the distillation unit.
Step 3: Plastic Conversion Process
The fractions, all containing hydrocarbons (ethane and propane), are then sent to a cracker plant where they’re converted into monomers like ethylene and propylene. Through a process called “cracking” the hydrocarbons are heated, stretched, and broken down into light molecules. There are two types of cracking processes that can be adopted here: steam cracking and catalyst cracking.
In steam cracking, the hydrocarbons are mixed with steam and heated under higher temperatures and pressures to crack hydrogen without using a catalyst. The monomers—ethylene, butylene, and propylene are then produced.
Step 4: The Plastic Polymerization Process
The polymerization process transforms the light monomers into higher-weight polymers. For this to happen, the monomers are chemically bonded into multiple chains using different polymerization techniques to form polymers. Some of the methods used are addition and condensation polymerization.
The monomers (building blocks) are placed under differing pressures, heat, UV light, or other catalysts to initiate the reaction. Polymers formed through these techniques include polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, and nylon.
Step 5: The Plastic Compounding Process
In the compounding stage, the tested feedstock is combined with additives to enhance their mechanical properties, colors, and performance. The polymer and additive mixtures are melted and blended using an extruder or other plastic manufacturing processes to make semi-processed plastics.
These raw plastic remains are turned into pellets to be further processed. Plastic pellets are used to create final parts for several industrial applications.
Plastic Classifications
Plastic’s popularity precedes its cost-efficiency, versatility, and durability. Plastic resins come from polymers and can be grouped into two: thermoplastics and thermosets based on their chemical structure. Thermoplastic resins have linear molecular chains and thermosetting resins comprise cross-linked molecular chains.
Once thermosetting resins have been heated, molded, or shaped, the chemical reaction can’t be reversed. However, thermoplastics maintain their chemical composition when heated or molded, and thus can be remolded or reshaped.
- Chemical Structure: Thermoplastics can further be broken down, based on the polymer morphology in the solid state, into amorphous and crystalline, based on their polymer structure. Some thermoplastics are both amorphous and crystalline. They’re often called semi-crystalline polymers. Amorphous polymers comprise atoms intertwined in a loose or disordered chain. They usually have low melting points and glass-like transparency. Crystalline polymers comprise molecules in a long-range order. However, under extremely heated temperatures some crystalline polymers morph into disordered chains.
- Mechanical Properties: Plastics can be grouped according to their reaction to external force: tensile, compression, impact resistance, tension, elongation, modulus of elasticity, and hardness. It’s important to note that the molecular weight of plastics affects their mechanical properties. Plastics with more atoms in their chains are harder than others. Besides the mechanical properties listed, plastics have viscosity, density, thermal expansion, water absorption, adhesive properties, biodegradability, chemical resistance, glass transition temperature, permeability, and aging properties.
- Industrial Application: Plastics such as high-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, and low-density polyethylene are typically used in the food packaging industry. For building and construction, polycarbonate, expanded polystyrene, acrylic, polyamides, and polyvinyl chloride are used. Acrylic, polyester, polypropylene, and polyurethane are used in the clothing and textile industry. Polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) are ideal for electrical and electronic devices.
7 Benefits of Plastic Production to the Economy
The benefits of plastics to society can’t be overemphasized. Plastics have made life easier for billions of people and have become a necessity in almost all industrial applications. It’s no wonder plastics have become the cornerstone of almost all industries in the United States. Of the top 10 biggest industries by revenue for 2024 in the United States, according to the analysis by IBIS World, at least eight of them rely heavily on plastic.
Below are some of the benefits the government, businesses, and consumers receive from the production and consumption of plastics.
Global Trade
Plastic global trade accounts for at least 5% of total merchandise trade. Plastic exports generate an average of $1 trillion annually, according to a research paper by UNCTAD, The plastic industry has facilitated global trade in the U.S. and continues to boost the country’s GDP, thereby promoting the standard of living for the citizens. Besides China, the United States and Germany are the major players in the global plastic trade.
In 2023, the plastic and rubber shipments ranged between $24.6 billion and $24.9 billion. This shipment was fueled by personal consumption and accounted for 87% of plastic production. Mold exports in the United States in 2023 ranged between $37.0 and $57.3 million. The United States’ plastic machinery imports amounted to $1.8 billion in 2023.
Fuel Efficiency
Plastics also make products lighter. In Automobiles, plastics improve their fuel efficiency by reducing the weight of the vehicle and strain on the engine as they can withstand high temperatures from batteries. This in turn reduces material waste and cost of operation. Today recycled plastics are used in place of virgin plastics to reduce the cost of production, conserve our natural resources, and reduce our carbon footprints. Electric vehicles now rely on plastic for their assembly.
Lower Cost of Goods
The low cost of acquiring and manufacturing plastic resins also makes essential products and services accessible to consumers across the various income classes. The average cost of plastic materials and resins in the United States is $378, hence encouraging mass production. Plastic recycling further encourages budget-friendly prices while conserving our natural resources. Plastic also promotes convenience. The packaging industry relies heavily on plastic materials for packaging essential items, making transportation hassle-free. The best part is that modern plastic packaging is lighter, transparent, and reusable.
Employment
The plastic industry generates employment for billions of people worldwide. According to the size and impact report from the Plastics Industry Association, the plastic industry has generated over a million jobs in the United States, with Texas having the highest employment rate. According to Statista, the plastic and resin manufacturing segment employed 98,908 people as of January of 2023. Plastic recycling is expected to generate more job opportunities for citizens as this sustainable practice is labor-intensive.
Innovation and Creativity
From combining polymers for complex industrial applications to establishing innovative solutions to plastic recycling, the use of plastic encourages idea generation and collaboration. Plastic products are all around us. From our cars to kitchen utensils, furniture, gadgets, and more, plastics have made steady production possible. Several life-saving advancements in healthcare and automation were possible because of the versatility, accessibility, and cost-efficiency of plastic materials. Many plastic recycling startups have sprung up in the last decade with innovative products for our plastic solution problems.
Promotes Safety
Plastics are used to make safety products such as seatbelts, food and drug packaging, airbags, disposable face masks, gloves, shields, medical supplies, and helmets to reduce the occurrence of accidents and disease transmissions. Plastics are such good conductors of electricity, water, and heat. Life-threatening and labor-intensive fields such as sports, defense & security, automotive, pharmaceutical, and medicine rely on plastic products. Plastics are strong, lightweight, hygienic, and durable.
Energy and Resource Conservation
Using bioplastics also helps to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions. Plastics consume less energy than other materials during production. Using plastic materials for heat and cold insulation reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as it contains properties that prevent air/water leakages and resist heat. Using plastics also reduces the need to overuse wildlife and plastics as raw materials for several industrial applications.
7 Innovative Applications of Plastic in the Last Decade
● Uponor PEX Pipe: This plastic plumbing pipe is used for hygienic installations to preserve the quality of drinking water and heating systems.
● Altro Stronghold 30: This advanced flooring, made from plastic, is equipped with a high slip resistance to minimize accidents caused by wet and greasy floors. It also reduces noise and foot discomfort. :
● ReSwirl Toothbrush: These toothbrushes are made from plastic waste and biodegradable plastic resins to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
● Automated Sensors: Sorting plastic waste has become easier than ever. With AI-powered sensors, you can sort your plastic waste to ascertain what products can be recycled or reused.
● Ecobricks: Plastic waste can now be recycled into building blocks for construction and interior design applications.
● Plastic Roads: An ideal way to put plastic waste to good use is to incorporate it into the asphalt mix for road construction.
● PolyGuard Hard: PolyGuard Hard is a hard-coated plastic sheet that offers enhanced abrasion and chemical resistance to protect coated surfaces from paints and ink.
Final Thoughts
What are you waiting for? Let’s bring your innovations to life. You can stay ahead of your competition, and “no,” it isn’t a suggestion; it’s an appeal. There are several unmet consumer needs and wants that plastics could help solve. Whatever product or service you plan to render, it’s most likely going to require plastics.
Investing in plastic production can help bring your idea of sustainability to life, whether it’s producing recyclable goods, using biodegradable materials, or conserving energy through lightweight productions. Book a personalized consultation with a polymer technology firm like PTI.Tech to explore the viability of your product idea and material and machine choices.
At PTI. Tech, we offer a holistic research and product development service to prospective plastic manufacturers. Our unique market insights can help you structure your business model and streamline your production process to maximize your ROIs. Choose a strategic partnership that is rooted in over 30 years of expertise. Get in touch with us today to exploit the benefits of operating in an industrial powerhouse.