by Injection molding is one of the most widely used manufacturing processes for the fabrication of plastic parts. A variety of plastic materials are used for injection molding depending on the application requirements. This article provides an overview of some commonly used plastic materials for injection molding and their properties and applications.
Thermoplastic Materials
Thermoplastics are the most widely used class of materials for injection molding as they can be repeatedly softened by heating and hardened by cooling. Some of the major thermoplastics used are:
Polyethylene (PE)
Polyethylene is a very common thermoplastic used for Injection Molding Materials. It has good impact strength and flexibility making it suitable for packaging and lightweight automotive parts. Low density PE (LDPE) has good impact strength and chemical resistance while high density PE (HDPE) has high tensile strength and rigidity.
Polypropylene (PP)
Polypropylene has very good chemical resistance making it a preferred choice for containers and caps. It also has high heat deflection temperature and tensile strength. Both reinforced and unreinforced grades of PP are used in automotive components, appliances, consumer products, etc.
Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene is rigid and brittle with good clarity making it suitable for packaging and consumer products. General purpose PS grades have applications in appliances, electronic components casings while high impact polystyrene (HIPS) finds uses in toys and appliances.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
PVC has good stiffness, abrasion resistance and durability. It comes in both rigid and flexible varieties. Rigid PVC is used for pipes, windows and doors while flexible PVC is used in hoses, cable insulation and flooring.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
ABS combines the impact strength of polybutadiene rubber with stiffness of styrene acrylonitrile. It has high ductility and notch sensitivity along with heat and chemical resistance. Common applications include appliances, automotive components and electronic housings.
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polycarbonate has excellent impact strength, heat resistance and clarity making it a premium plastic for use in medical devices, electronic components, greenhouses and safety equipment. Its high strength to weight ratio finds application in transportation industry.
Thermosets
Thermoset plastics solidify irreversibly when heated and molded unlike thermoplastics. Some thermosets used for injection molding include:
Phenolic Resins
Phenolic resins have self-extinguishing properties and heat resistance. They are used for electrical components, insulation, friction pads and fiber reinforced parts.
Polyurethanes (PUR/PU)
Polyurethanes have high flexibility and shock absorption capacity. Flexible PU foams are used for automotive seating, footwear and furniture while rigid PU parts find application in mounting brackets, gears and wheels.
Polyester Resins
Glass filled polyester resins are used for marine, industrial and electrical applications requiring chemical resistance. Orthophthalic, dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and iso-phthalic polyester systems are used.
Fillers and Reinforcements
Plastics are often reinforced to improve mechanical properties for structural applications. Commonly used reinforcing materials include:
Glass Fibers
Glass fiber reinforced plastics have high stiffness and dimensional stability. Common applications are electronic housings, automotive parts and marine components.
Carbon Fibers
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics have very high strength to weight ratio but are costly. Used in aerospace, bicycle and sporting goods components.
Mineral Fillers
Cheap fillers like calcium carbonate, clay, talc are added to reduce cost of plastics. Used extensively in automotive plastics, construction materials and plastic pipes.
Short Fibers
Short fiber reinforcements like glass fibers, aramid fibers improve properties like tensile strength and impact resistance. Used widely in technical and automotive components.
In summary, selection of right material is critical for injection molding process depending on part design, functionality and process requirements. Ongoing material innovations help expand application scope of injection molding process. With growing environmental consciousness, bioplastics and recyclable materials will become increasingly important in future.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
