Raw Material Source

10. Plastics

10.1 Raw Material Source

10.2 Mixing/Preparation

10.3 Molding/Curing

10.4 Chemistry Certifications

Raw Material Source

The Raw Material Source Production Stage covers the production of the plastic from extraction, through monomer creation, to a bulk commodity plastic material. The following process options are available to customize Plastics Example Materials:

  • Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for ABS plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Epoxy plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for epoxy plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Nylon 6, fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default selection for nylon plastic and should be used unless a different nylon polymer process option from the following list is applicable.
  • Nylon 6.6, fossil fuel based should be selected if the nylon polymer is known to be nylon 6,6. Nylon 6,6 is manufactured from two different monomers, hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid. This process should be selected for all nylon 6,6 polymer manufacturing.
  • Nylon 12, fossil fuel based should be selected if the nylon polymer is known to be nylon 12. Nylon 12 is a long-chain nylon that is manufactured from either ω-aminolauric acid or laurolactam, depending on polymerization method. This process should be selected regardless of which nylon 12polymerization route is used.
  • Nylon 4.10, EcoPaxX {DSM} should be selected when using EcoPaxX PA410 bio based polyamide from DSM.
  • Nylon, mechanically recycled, for plasticshould be selected if the nylon polymer has come from a recycled source. This process should be selected for both mechanically recycled and chemically recycled nylon, as this is currently the closest proxy available.
  • Glass fiber is the default process selection for plastic fillers. It is the most widely used composition to produce continuous filament glass fibre.
  • Carbon black should be selected when furnace blac, general-purpose carbon black is used. General purpose carbon black is used in tire production, and large-area or industrial coatings and paints.
  • Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) (acrylic) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PMMA plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Polycarbonate (PC) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PC plastic should be used unless the PC plastic is known to be recycled content.
  • Polycarbonate, recycled should be selected if the PC plastic is known to be mechanically recycled polycarbonate.
  • Polyester resin, fossil fuel based is the default selection for polyester plastic and is modeled as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most common type of polyester. This process should be used unless another available polyester process is applicable.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, mechanically recycled should be selected if the polyester polymer is converted from mechanically recycled PET bottle flakes to recycled PET pellets. If the specific recycling technology is unknown, the mechanical recycling process detailed above is the most likely processing type and should be selected.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, semi-mechanically recycled, for plastic should be selected if the polyester polymer is converted from mechanically recycled PET bottle flakes to recycled PET pellets. In this process, an additional ethylene glycol treatment is used to purify the polymer.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, chemically (BHET) recycled, for plastic should be selectedwhen using a chemically recycled polyester polymer that is chemically depolymerized via a glycolysis process. In this production method, Bis(2-Hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) will be the primary intermediate oligomer that is produced. After depolymerization, the BHET is filtered and re-polymerized back into PET. This process can be selected for any PET chemical recycling where a glycolysis reaction is the primary depolymerization route.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), chemically (methanolysis) recycled, for plastic should be selected when using a chemically recycled polyester polymer that is chemically depolymerized via a methanolysis process. In this production method, PET is converted into dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and ethylene glycol monomers. These are then re-polymerized back into PET.  This process is the best proxy for PET chemical recycling that uses hydrolysis (depolymerization to terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol) and other alcoholysis depolymerization routes. This process should also be selected for chemically recycled PET of unknown depolymerization type.
  • Polybutylene Terephthalate Granulate (PBT), for plastic should be selected when Polybutylene terephthalate granules are used for plastic.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, mechanically recycled {Nan Ya Plastics} should be selected when using mechanically recycled PET pellets produced by Nan Ya Plastics. This process consists of mechanical methods such as drying, melt extrusion & pelletizing. 
  • Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, chemically recycled {Nan Ya Plastics} should be selected when using chemically recycled PET pellets produced by Nan Ya Plastics. This process consists of chemical methods such as glycolysis, esterification, polymerization & pelletizing.
  • High density polyethylene (HDPE), fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PE plastic and should be selectedwhen using HDPE or when the specific grade of polyethylene is unknown.
  • Low density polyethylene (LDPE), fossil fuel based should be selected when using an LDPE polymer.
  • Polyethylene (PE), recycled, for plastic should be selected when using recycled PE plastic materials. Applies to both high density polyethylene (HDPE) and low density polyethylene (LPDE) recycled materials.
  • Polylactic acid (PLA), bio-based, for plastic is the default process selection for PLA plastic and is currently the only process selection available.

• Polyoxymethylene (POM), for plastic is the default process selection for POM plastic and is currently the only process selection available. POM is also known as acetal.

  • Polypropylene (PP) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PP plastic and should be used unless the PP plastic is known to be recycled content.
  • Polypropylene (PP), recycled for plastic should be selected if the PP plastic is known to be mechanically recycled polypropylene.
  • Polysterene (PS) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PS plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) plastic, fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default process selection for PTFE plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) plastic, fossil fuel based is the default process selection for PVA plastic and is currently the only process selection available.

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default process selection for PVC plastic and is currently the only process selection available.

  • Silicone, fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default process selection for silicone plastic and is currently the only process selection available.
  • Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), hard polyether, fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default process selection for TPU plastic and should be used unless another TPU processing option is applicable.
  • Elastollan® TPU resin {BASF} should be selected only when using Elastollan® TPU manufactured by BASF.
  • Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), recycled should be selected when using mechanically recycled polypropylene.
  • Thermoset polyurethane (PU), fossil fuel based, for plastic is the default process selection for PU plastic and is currently the only process selection available.