Industrial Supplies and Other Stuff

Plastics are a part of your life. They are used to make appliances, vehicle parts, containers, retail display items and many other products. Ordinary plastics have led to the birth of engineering plastics, materials designed with an X-factor to handle various end user needs. Due to the fabrication demands and costs involved, it is only normal for manufacturers to produce engineering plastics in small quantities and use them on projects with special needs. Good examples of engineering plastics are acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene and polyamides. When making these materials, fabricators rely on the addition of additives to bring in desired unique qualities. Here is a comprehensive look at the functional additives used in engineering plastics:

Additives Imparting Electrical Conductivity

Engineering plastics are eating into the metal market in a way no one anticipated. Traditionally, plastics have been (and still is) the go-to material when people need insulators or materials that do not conduct electricity. This, however, limits those who would love to use plastic materials while still able to conduct electricity using the same material. Not anymore! Engineered plastics come with additives that enable them to conduct both electricity and heat. The additives render such plastics anti-static, meaning that current and heat can move from one place to another.

Stabilisers and Oxidisers

Oxidation is a problem that affects many materials including metals and plastic. It occurs when a material is chemically unstable and suffers negative effects when exposed to heat and other unfamiliar conditions. For instance, oxidation in plastics can occur because of prolonged exposure to ultra violet radiation. Stabilisers and oxidisers are added to engineered plastics to prevent damage when you expose them to conditions that may facilitate oxidation.

Antimicrobials

If you will be using your engineered plastics for handling food, medicinal drugs and any products that need to stay free of contamination. When people health and well-being is at stake, engineered plastics with antimicrobial additives is the way to go. You can use them in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and other types of acrylic to prevent attack by microorganisms. This ensures that your products are safe for consumption and use at all times.

Coupling Agents

When the fabricators need to use additives, there may be compatibility issues bonding them with the plastic polymers. They use coupling agents to make additives compatible with the polymers used in the fabrication of the plastics. In this way, the additives will always be functional regardless of the conditions that the engineered plastic will be exposed to.