Knowra Thermoplastic Thermoplastic A polymer material that softens when heated and hardens when cooled, repeatedly, without undergoing permanent chemical cross-linking during those cycles.
Glass transition : A temperature range where an amorphous polymer changes between a hard, glassy state and a softer, rubbery state. Above this transition, many amorphous thermoplastics become flexible without melting.
Polymer : A substance made of molecules whose structures contain many repeating chemical units. Thermoplastics are polymers whose chains can soften and flow under heat.
Injection molding : A manufacturing process that injects molten material into a mold and cools it into shape. It uses thermoplastic melt flow to produce detailed parts in large quantities.
Thermosetting polymer : A polymer that cures into a permanently cross-linked network and cannot be remelted into a flowable material. Unlike a thermoplastic, it does not regain melt flow after curing.
Mechanical recycling : Reprocessing waste materials through physical operations such as sorting, shredding, melting, and remolding. It exploits thermoplastics’ ability to soften and solidify again without first changing their chemistry.
Melting point : The temperature at which a crystalline solid becomes liquid under a specified pressure. Heating above its melting range lets a semicrystalline thermoplastic flow during processing.
Monomer : A small molecule that can join with other molecules to form a polymer. Monomers determine the repeating chemical units in a thermoplastic’s chains.
Extrusion : A process that forces material through a shaped opening to make continuous products. Thermoplastic melt can be extruded into films, pipes, fibers, and profiles.
Elastomer : A polymer that can undergo large reversible deformation and recover its original shape. Elastomers emphasize elastic recovery, while thermoplastic describes heat-softening behavior.
Chemical recycling : Processes that convert polymer waste into chemical feedstocks or smaller molecules through chemical reactions. It can handle some waste streams that repeated thermoplastic melting cannot restore to useful quality.
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