What is plastic?

Plastics are organic polymeric materials (compounds consisting of giant organic molecules) which are plastic, ie which can be deformed to achieve a desired shape by extrusion, molding or spinning. Molecules can be of natural origin, eg cellulose, wax, and rubber (rubber) natural or synthetic, such as polyethylene and nylon.

Plastics are characterized by high density ratio resistance, excellent properties for thermal and electrical insulation and good resistance to acids, alkalis and solvents. The massive molecules that are composed may be linear, branched or crosslinked, depending on the type of plastic. Linear and branched molecules are thermoplastic (soften with heat), while intersecting are thermostable (not soften with heat).