Thermoplastics vs Thermoset Plastics: What's The Difference?

Everyone has heard of plastic. We use it in our daily lives, from everyday items such as water bottles and toys to industrial components and products. However, many don’t know that there are two distinct types of plastics: thermoplastics and thermoset plastics. Understanding the distinction between both type of plastics can aid manufacturers and product designers in improving their products. In this article, we discuss the differences between these two materials, their properties, and how they can be used in different applications. Read on to find out more!

Introduction to Thermoplastics and Thermoset Plastics

Thermoplastics and thermoset plastics are both polymers but behave differently when exposed to heat. Thermoplastics are a type of plastic that becomes malleable or moldable above a certain temperature and solidifies when cooled. Thermoset plastics, on the other hand, cure when heated and cannot be remolded or reused. They are made by curing a resin with a hardener. The cured plastic is very strong and resistant to heat and chemicals.

Properties of Thermoplastics and Thermoset Plastics

Thermoplastics are made up of long chains of molecules that are held together by weak bonds. When heated, these bonds break, and the molecules can slide past each other, allowing the material to be reshaped. Once cooled, the bonds reform, and the material retains its new shape. This process can be repeated over and over again.

Thermoset plastics are made up of shorter chains of molecules that are linked together by strong chemical bonds. Once these bonds have been formed, they cannot be broken. 

Examples of Thermoplastics and Thermoset plastics

Some examples of thermoplastics are listed below.

• Polystyrene (PS)
• Polyethene (PE)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
• Polycarbonate (PC)
• Teflon
• Acrylic
• Nylon

Some examples of thermoset plastics are listed below.

• Vulcanized rubber
• Bakelite
• Polyurethane
• Polyimide
• Melamine
• Epoxy resin
• Vinyl ester resin

Applications of Thermoplastics and Thermoset Plastics

Thermoplastics like Polyethylene which is a top medical-grade plastic, are used in making catheters, bags, packaging film, and pipes, while Polypropylene is used to make food containers, car parts, and toys. PVC is used to make pipes, window frames, and flooring. PVC is the most widely used plastic for medical devices, with a share of about 25% used in applications like making IV bags and tubings, blood bags, and oxygen masks. Polystyrene makes disposable plastic cutlery and dinnerware, CD jewel cases, smoke detector housings, and other products.

Because of their excellent heat and chemical stability, as well as superior hardness, strength, and moldability, thermoset components are ideal for applications in the automotive, daily appliance, electrical, lighting, and energy markets. Transmission components, motor houses, valve housings, appliance knobs and handles, circuit breakers, switch plates, relays, standoff insulators, brush holders, bases and end caps, wiper plugs, load rings, and other components that are susceptible to high heat and corrosion are some of the common examples of thermoset plastic components.

Conclusion

When it comes to an understanding the difference between thermoplastics and thermoset plastics, it is important to remember that they both have their unique strengths and weaknesses depending on what kind of products you need to be manufactured so the main thing is to get all the knowledge about that. Skill-Lync offers a wide range of courses by our industry experts about the manufacturing process that will cover different types of traditional and non-traditional manufacturing processes, and also it covers the latest trends in manufacturing processes like 3D printing. We are also providing courses on manufacturing design using various CAD software, including CATIA, Ansys Workbench, and Radioss, that will provide you with an opportunity to get the best career. Start your manufacturing design journey with Skill-Lync now by availing of the free demo.