POWDER PROJECT.docx

All of us use different types of plastics every day. Many of us use several plastic carry bags regularly during marketing and after reaching home, we usually discard them. A huge quantity of plastic is used as packaging material just to attract us. The plastic packets, dishes, water bottles, foams and most of the other plastics are used only for single time. We do not bother about any appeal of the Government or any other bodies to control the use of plastics. Due to such casual approach, our entire civilization is perhaps approaching towards extinction. Besides the radioactive waste produced by atomic plants and carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and some other dangerous gases emitted due to the burning of hydrocarbon fuel, the next threat to our civilization is from the continuous deposition of non-biodegradable plastics on the surface of the earth. The land, the sea surface, the sea bottom, the mountain valleys, the polesno region is now devoid of plastics (Pattanayak 2007). Plastic : a very popular item The benefits of plastic are undeniable. Plastics are cheap, lightweight and easy to give required shape. These qualities have led to a boom in the production of plastic over the past century (UNEP 2018). Qualities like good gas and moisture barrier properties, high heat and chemical resistance, opacity, toughness, transparency, solvent resistance, waxy surface, strong tough and flexible nature etc. are attributed to different types of plastics. Plastic packaging accounts for about half of the plastic waste in the world. Most of this waste is generated in Asia, while America, Japan and the European Union are the world's largest producers of plastic packaging waste per capita (UNEP 2018). Production of plastics Plastics are petroleum-based products. These are produced in various forms. The basic principle of production of plastic is the conversion of natural gas or crude oil components into monomers like ethylene, propylene, butane, styrene etc. in presence of catalysts. Then, the monomers are chemically bonded to a chain termed as polymer. Different combinations of monomers along with different additives (Chlorine, Nitrogen, Fluorine, Oxygen etc.) and color materials are used to prepare different types of plastics (Pattanayak 2007). Type of plastics and their use There are many types of plastics. Among them, polyethylene is the form of plastic that is used for production of polythene bags. Many kinds of polyethylene can be made from ethylene. The commonly used plastic bags are made from one of three basic types: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). The low-density polyethylene (LDPE) form of plastic is used to prepare common plastic carry bags and also used in packaging of frozen foods, fruit juices and milk cartons etc. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is generally used for production of buckets, bowls, cups, plates, packets for cement and fertilizers, large sized bottles. It is also used in making milk containers, detergent bottles, refrigerators, toys, various types of plastic grocery bags etc. Poly vinyl chloride (PVC) is used for production of Rexene, shoe soles, toys, pipes, tubing, blood and plasma transfusion bags etc. Polycarbonate (PC) is used to produce baby feeding bottles, large water bottles etc. The thermo set poly urethane (P.U.) is used to produce all types of foams. Polypropylenes (PP) are used to prepare packaging materials for edible items, luggage carrier and textile cones. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used to prepare bottles for many purposes (Pattanayak 2007). Plastic additives Plastic additives are some chemicals used to add certain properties to the plastics. The main plastic additives are Bisphenol A, Phthalates, Brominated Flame Retardants and some Heavy Metals.

Plastics are used on a daily basis throughout the world. The word plastic is a common term that is used for many materials of a synthetic or semi-synthetic nature. Plastics are a wide variety of combinations of properties when viewed as a whole. They are used for shellac, cellulose, rubber, and asphalt. We also synthetically manufacture items such as clothing, packaging, automobiles, electronics, aircrafts, medical supplies, and recreational items. The list could go on and on and it is obvious that much of what we have today would not be possible without plastics.

2013

This chapter aims to provide a better understanding of the interplay between the materiality of plastics and their anthropological dimensions. Previous materials, such as glass, wood and aluminium, are referred to by the name of the stuff of which they are made. By contrast, the common name of synthetic polymers derives from one of their physical properties. The linguistic preference for the term 'plastic' is an indicator that plasticity gained a cultural meaning in the twentieth century. This requires a closer look at the physical and chemical properties of the class of materials gathered under the umbrella 'plastics', as well as at their production process. The entanglement between material, technical and cultural aspects shapes artefacts themselves, and reconfigures the relation between nature, artefacts and culture. Following a brief historical sketch about the emergence of plastics-as-plastics and reinforced plastics, the chapter will describe how synthetic poly...

2014

Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural. Most plastics contain organic polymers. The vast majority of these polymers are based on chains of carbon atoms alone or with oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen as well. PVC is one of the most widely used plastics. This application note details samples of PVC in the form of resin, thin films, gasket and pipe, which are to be prepared in cross section to a thickness of 1mm for general observation under optical light microscope. A percentage of the recycled pellets are then reintroduced into the main production operation. This closed-loop operation has taken place since the 1970s and has made the production of some plastic products amongst the most efficient operations today. The average size of plastic particles in the environment seems to be decreasing, and the abundance and global dis...

Biotechnology Journal International

Bio-plastics are either bio-based polymers or capable of degradation into simple compounds. The rising development in the production and use of bio-plastics has globally revolutionized the dependency on traditional plastics. The conventional plastics prepared from petroleum, coal and natural gas have been extensively used by humans since antiquity as a prime component of almost all the materials used in day to day life. Since, these plastics are non-biodegradable; they cause serious impact on the environment. Recent years have witnessed the introduction of a wide variety of bio-plastics derived from natural polymers such as starch, cellulose, chitin etc. These bio-plastics are now being utilised in packaging materials, electronics, medical devices; holding immense potential for utility in future. This mini-review confers about types of bio-plastics, their utility in different sectors and their future prospective.