17. The Basics of Plastics Processing

With the exception of the functional polymers discussed in ► Chap. 19, polymers are typically used as solid materials for the widest variety of different objects, from plastic bags to prostheses. To fulfill each requirement, one needs to take the material, composed of macromolecules that have been produced in solution, bulk, or dispersion, and give it form and precise geometry depending on the demands of the intended application. The exact conditions of normal use to which the object is exposed to determine the choice of the chemistry of the material, for example, thermal, mechanical, and chemical properties; the actual use determines the geometry of the article. Many different processing technologies for shaping polymeric materials have been developed over the past few decades. However, all forms cannot be achieved with all processes, and all polymers cannot be processed using all techniques. This is why it is exceptionally important for a polymer chemist to have at least some fundamental knowledge of the interplay between shape, material, and processing technique. This chapter provides a short, introductory overview of the most important aspects and the basic concepts of polymer processing. For further details that are beyond the scope of this book, the interested reader is referred to more comprehensive textbooks (Kaiser 2007; Michaeli 2010).