A classification of major plastic types including PET, PP, PE, PVC, PS, ABS, PC, and Nylon with their characteristics.
Overview
Plastic Varieties
Plastics are broadly classified into three categories: general-purpose plastics, engineering plastics, and super engineering plastics. General-purpose plastics are inexpensive and easy to process, widely used for daily necessities. Engineering plastics have high heat resistance and mechanical strength, used for automotive parts and precision machinery. Super engineering plastics are even more high-performance and can be used in extreme environments. Each plastic is selected for appropriate applications according to its characteristics and has become an indispensable material in all areas of modern society.
plastic
resin
materials
PET
PP
PE
PVC
PS
ABS
PC
nylon
engineering plastic
general-purpose plastic
| code | slug | name | description | category | characteristics | heatResistance | mainUses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PET | polyethylene-terephthalate | Polyethylene Terephthalate | A plastic with transparency and toughness, highly suitable for recycling. | General-purpose Plastic/Engineering Plastic | ["transparency","toughness","gas barrier properties","recyclability"] | 70-80℃ | ["PET bottles","food packaging film","clothing fiber","food trays"] |
| PP | polypropylene | Polypropylene | The lightest plastic with excellent chemical and heat resistance. | General-purpose Plastic | ["lightweight","chemical resistance","hot water resistance","abrasion resistance","hinge characteristics"] | 100-120℃ | ["food containers","automotive bumpers","medical equipment","clear files","shopping bags"] |
| PE | polyethylene | Polyethylene | A flexible plastic with excellent durability and waterproof properties. | General-purpose Plastic | ["flexibility","durability","waterproof","chemical resistance","inexpensive"] | 80-90℃ | ["plastic bags","buckets","tanks","detergent containers","agricultural film"] |
| PVC | polyvinyl-chloride | Polyvinyl Chloride | A versatile plastic with excellent water resistance and flame retardancy. | General-purpose Plastic | ["water resistance","acid and alkali resistance","weather resistance","flame retardancy","processability"] | 60-80℃ | ["water pipes","wallpaper","flooring","wire coating","cards","hoses"] |
| PS | polystyrene | Polystyrene | A lightweight, highly transparent plastic that is easy to color. | General-purpose Plastic | ["lightweight","transparency","easy to color","inexpensive","moldability"] | 70-90℃ | ["food trays","styrofoam","CD cases","daily necessities","containers"] |
| ABS | acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | A plastic with good balance of rigidity and impact resistance, excellent processability. | General-purpose Plastic | ["rigidity","hardness","processability","impact resistance","platability"] | 70-100℃ | ["automotive interior parts","appliance housings","toys","office equipment","interior goods"] |
| PC | polycarbonate | Polycarbonate | A high-performance plastic with bulletproof glass-level impact resistance and transparency. | Engineering Plastic | ["high impact resistance","transparency","heat resistance","dimensional stability"] | 120-140℃ | ["carport roofs","helmet shields","display covers","lenses","CD/DVD"] |
| PA | polyamide | Polyamide (Nylon) | An engineering plastic with excellent mechanical strength and abrasion resistance. | Engineering Plastic | ["mechanical strength","abrasion resistance","heat resistance","oil resistance","self-lubricating"] | 100-150℃ | ["gears","bearings","industrial machinery wheels","engine covers","cable ties","fibers"] |