Thermosetting Plastics

This second blog on Materials and Processes we will encounter and undertake in the workshop is based on Thermosetting plastics. Now, in my previous blog based on Thermo Plastics, my last information paragraph was as follows: Sometimes, thermoplastics are confused with Thermosetting Plastics. Although they may sound the same, they actually contain very different properties. While Thermo Plastics can be melted to a liquid and cooled to a solid, Thermosetting Plastics chemically deteriorate when subjected to heat. Ironically, however, Thermosetting Plastics tend to be more durable when allowed to cool than many Thermo Plastics.

In this blog, I will go into more detail about this confusion and comparison and other aspects of Thermosetting Plastics.

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Thermosetting plastics are synthetic materials that strengthen during being heated, however, cannot be remoulded of reheated after their first heat-forming. Thermosetting plastics retain their shape and strength after heating, which makes the plastics well suited for the production of permanent components and large, solid structures.

Examples of thermosetting plastics include epoxy (as shown below), and because it has excellent chemical, thermal and electrical resistance and can be used for coatings, casting compounds, adhesives (as shown below) and encapsulating for electrical components (e.g. covering for a wire cable). Additionally, Phenolic plastic is another example of a thermosetting plastic.

Epoxy - In The form Of Clear Adhesive Glue

!!!HERE IS A FUN FACT!!!

Phenolic plastic was created by Leo Baekland. This type of plastic was solvent and water resistance, and was used in early consumer electronic items such as telephones, radios, and records. However, Phenolic plastics are used little in consumer products today due to the cost and complexity of its production and its brittle nature.

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Thank you very much for reading and keep a look out for my next blog on Cellulose Nitrate (an extension that caught my eye when I was researching information on Thermosetting Plastics).