We are all aware that some polymers function poorly as pure resins, and the majority cannot be utilized directly without being changed in order to fulfill the demands of goods. When discussing modified plastics, we frequently ask what has been changed and what characteristics, such as density, transparency, hardness, processability, strength, and toughness, may be altered.

1.How can plastic be modified?

Simply defined, plastics are modified to modify their basic qualities through physical and chemical processes, enhance or improve those original features, and make them more suited for end uses.

2. The eight main ways to modify plastic

Which characteristics of the substance have been transformed by generally modified plastics ? In general, there are around 8 different kinds. As follows:

1 density

PP micro-foamed material was used on the dashboard of the car.

Depending on the chosen end application, there are two ways to modify the density of plastics: one is to lower the density, and the other is to raise the density. Here, we focus mostly on techniques for lowering polymers' density.

Reduce plastic density: The high school formula M=V states that when a material's density is decreased, quality will likewise decline on the assumption that the original product's volume remains constant. It is frequently employed in portable terminals like cars. The use of light-weight fillers or resins, while popular, only slightly reduces the density of plastics; foaming technique, on the other hand, offers a wide range of weight reduction. but slightly more challenging.

2. Openness

The link between crystals and transparency is frequently used to describe the transparency of polymers. The crystallinity of the material has an impact on the transparency of plastics. It is possible to increase a product's transparency by manipulating its various morphological structures.

There are several performance indicators that must be taken into account in order to gauge a material's transparency. Light transmittance, haze, refractive index, birefringence, and dispersion are examples of often used indicators. The aforementioned performance metrics must be great and well-balanced to make a good transparent material.

The following techniques are frequently employed to alter crystal form:

①management of crystal quality, including management of crystal size, regularity, and spherulite concentration.

② Increase the refractive index, primarily by adding organic or inorganic materials with high refractive indices that do not influence transparency.

③ By adjusting the orientation during processing, or lowering the degree of orientation, the goal of minimizing birefringence can be accomplished.

④ The process of adding tiny molecules to transparent resins in order to increase their transparency is referred to as "adding to improve the transparency of plastics." This technique can improve refractive index, lower birefringence, and boost light transmittance.

⑤The best technique to make the transparent resin more light-transparent is to add a nucleating agent. A tiny molecular component called a nucleating agent can encourage crystallization. It can act as a catalyst for crystal nucleation in the resin, converting the initial homogeneous nucleation into heterogeneous nucleation, increasing the number of crystal nuclei in the crystal system, increasing the number of microcrystals, and decreasing the number of spherulites, resulting in finer crystals and increased resin transparency.

⑥Add more inorganic materials with high refractive indices.

⑦ Including additives that can lower birefringence

⑧Include a defogging agent

3 Resistance and adaptability

Figure hardness of hard film plus instrument panel.

Surface hardness and overall hardness are the two categories used to classify the hardness of plastics. Plastics typically have hard additives added to them, usually stiff inorganic fillers.

Surface hardness: This refers to how hard a plastic product's exterior surface is just; the product's interior hardness is unaffected. It is mostly utilized for everyday requirements and decorating items due to its inexpensive cost. Surface treatment, plating, and coating are the primary techniques.

Overall difficulty: In order to increase the overall hardness of plastic, high hardness resin is typically blended with low hardness resin.

A few examples of common mixed resins are PS, PMMA, ABS, and MF. The resins that require modification are mostly PE,PA, PTFE, and PP

flexible

To alter the plastic's elasticity, a plasticizer is often applied. The plasticizer's primary job is to make resin more processable by lowering the processing temperature and increasing processing fluidity. But by combining it with related resins, it may also provide goods flexibility. PVC, PVDC, CPE, SBS, PA, ABS, PVA, and chlorinated polyether are among the resins that can be used with plasticizers to increase flexibility.

4 processing effectiveness

Enhancing the thermal decomposition temperature of the resin, lowering the melting temperature of the resin, enhancing the processing fluidity of the resin, and enhancing the melt properties of the resin are common ways to improve the processing performance of plastics.

The most frequent modification technique involves adding modification, plasticizer, and lubrication. Plasticizers can increase the plasticity of polymers, and lubricants have the function of reducing friction between materials and the surfaces of materials and processing equipment, lowering the flow resistance of melt from the surface, lowering melt viscosity, enhancing melt fluidity, preventing melt adhesion to equipment, and improving product surface finish, among other things.