ABSTRACT
The classification of thermoplastic materials is relevant and important in that it provides a framework for the preliminary but cost-effective selection of these materials for applications. The classification of thermoplastic materials can be done via two main bases:
1. Functional usage (categories) 2. Families
With respect to functional usage, there are five main categories:
1. General purpose (commodity) thermoplastics 2. Quasi-commodity thermoplastics 3. Engineering thermoplastics 4. Specialty thermoplastics 5. New and emerging thermoplastic materials
This category is comprised of mostly polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), and some of the copolymers that are based on their monomers. These four thermoplastics constitute more than 50% of thermoplastic materials, and a discussion of this category based on these four materials is in order. Commodity thermoplastics typically have average mechanical properties (Tables 7.1 and 7.2) and, as such, command low prices. They are used in large quantities (Table 7.3) because of their cost-effectiveness [1].
