Questions tagged [plastics]
For questions relating to the structures, properties, production methods and potential hazards of polymer materials commonly known as plastics
186
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How does formalin affect lab plastics? Why are they labelled "dead"? [closed]
I work in a microbiology lab which often grows bacteria in cultures. I've noticed that some of our equipment is labelled "Dead" because it has come in contact with formalin. The explanation ...
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Can Seaweed Be a Thermoplastic?
I was on the Internet, and I saw this post. This post shows a photo of thermoplastic seaweed, which I thought was impossible. `
BTW, if you're wondering what the difference is between a thermoset and ...
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Safety of an organic solvent in a sealed pressure pot or vacuum chamber
I am trying to experiment and find ways I can reuse various types of thermoplastics at home for hobby use and have investigated various solubilities of them in solvents (room temp or otherwise) to ...
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Help with replicating Fionn Ferreira's microplastic experiment
Hi I am an eighth grade student doing my first science fair project on microplastics. The first step of my experiment is replicating F. Ferriera's microplastic experiment where he used magnetite to ...
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What common plastic types would be most compatible with pool water?
What thin-film plastic types are most compatible with typical pool water (pH 7.2, normally 5ppm chlorine but up to 15ppm on occasion) in full sun?
I'm finding that most standard film materials degrade ...
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How does the heat-activated blowing agent in foaming plastic filament survive the manufacturing process?
Special 3D printer filaments are available with blowing agents mixed in. These blowing agents cause the filament to foam as it is extruded, causing the resulting structure to have a much lower density....
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Burning Plastic: can it be done without harmful pollution? [closed]
Can plastic be melted, incinerated or recycled without emitting harmful gases and CO2? Specifically, can this be done without releasing gases harmful to humans?
This question pertains to the melting ...
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What will remove this screen printed logo without destroying the polycarbonate safety sunglasses lens?
I bought some safety sunglasses and didn't notice until I'd taken the tags off that there's an annoying logo painted or printed right in my field of view. (You can feel with your fingertips or ...
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Is there really no solvent (or any other really) glue for polyethylene terephthalate?
PVC can be glued well with solvent cement wherein it melts somewhat and then sticks together really well as if it was welded, which is really convenient. But I can't find anything similar online for ...
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Why do the links in a plastic chain become different colors?
I have a plastic chain, about 5 meters long, sitting between two wooden posts. The link has 1 meter long sections of alternating white/red links. It's been sitting there for 2 years, and the once red ...
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How long can dimethyl sulfoxide be safely stored in a HDPE "barrier bottle"?
How long can dimethyl sulfoxide be contained in a HDPE barrier bottle without any reaction between the plastic and the solvent? I have read that DMSO is not reactive with HDPE, but I would like to ...
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How long can I keep HDPE plastic in an oven for before it starts to burn?
I am recycling HDPE plastic (chips) in an oven. I left it in the oven for 10 mins and it melted the outside layer of the plastic fine. When I cut into the plastic with a saw after it cooled, there was ...
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Are intermediate bulk container units suitable for storage of isopropyl alcohol? [closed]
I'm working in water treatment construction and my boss is going to be stocking isopropyl alcohol (IPA).
He wants to store the chemical in bulk, with amounts ranging from 5000 L to 10000 L in IBC ...
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Is there a stretchable, transparent polymer like PDMS, but not so hydrophobic?
I'm looking for something like PDMS, but not as hydrophobic. I'm trying to form 2d crystals using the surface tension of an evaporating droplet to organize microspheres into an ordered array. PDMS ...
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Commercially available conductive polymers
I am looking for intrinsically conductive plastics (not plastics that are made conductive by filling them with carbon black for example). I have found that there are conductive polymers like ...
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Can I degrade PLA into something usable?
I have a lot of 3D printer waste and don't have a recycling machine for it.
As a side project, I was wondering if there is any way to degrade/compost/recycle it meaningfully.
I have my Uni's chemistry ...
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Do mechanically recycled plastics decompose more rapidly?
Does it mean that mechanically recycled plastics decompose more rapidly in the environment? So even if mechanical recycling doesn't prevent plastics from going to landfills, just puts it off (...
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How to prevent Sodium Hydroxide (Catalyst) from reacting with the Formic Acid (product) after electrolysis is done [closed]
So,
I am trying to create Formic Acid from PET and to break the ester bonds before electrolysis, I am planning on using water and sodium hydroxide. I was told that if I take this Plastic-Sodium ...
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Can large, sticky, sodium polyacrylate crystals be coated in a powder to facilitate handling?
I am separating a larger container of sodium polyacrylate crystals into smaller containers for student experiments. Commonly known as "Deco Cubes" and used by florists in decorations and ...
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What is the difference between PEF and PTF bioplastics?
I am trying to research single use plastics replacements, and wanted to explain how PEF and PTF are a good choice. Although as I am researching I can't find clear information about them, also how they ...
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Organic solvent that won’t attack either PET or butyl rubber?
I am looking for a suitable organic solvent for dissolving dried-on polyurethane adhesive on a substrate of nylon/butyl/polyester. Acetone is ruled out because it attacks polyester (PET) and Toluene ...
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What causes plastic to become brittle and can it be softened again?
I have some old computer case parts made of ABS plastic. Two decades of storage has embrittled the plastic to the point where they easily crack or shatter with the slightest bend.
What is going on ...
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Transparent material used in the movie Metropolis
This is probably a rather unusual question for this forum. The review of the movie Metropolis (made in 1926) by Roger Ebert shows what I assume is a still frame from the movie:
The shield looks very ...
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Natural preservatives of ink
Would pure compounds like thymol, carvacrol, and cinnamaldehyde work as preservatives of fountain pen ink? I'm specifically interested in three properties -
Prevention of growth (mostly fungal) in ...
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Using cooling to temporarily lock in deformation in plastics?
I need to shrink PEEK or solid polyimide tube, $\pu{1mm}$ wall thickness and $\pu{15mm}$ OD over another fragile component. Is it possible to stretch the tube over a mandrel, lock in the deformation ...
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Making bioplastic at high school level chemistry using PLA/Starch blends
I'm currently working on a high school chemistry essay about biodegradable plastics. I know that there is an easy way to synthesize Thermoplastic Starch (TPS), a starch-based bioplastic using glycerol ...
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Absorption spectrum of common plastic polymers
I am looking for data regarding absorption spectrum of common used plastic polymers, in the range of 200- 1.000 nm
Moreover, I am looking for inorganic or organic compounds, which can be mixed ...
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higher viscosity base oil instead of better lubrication results in worse
UPDATE:
The problematic "symptom" that I try to fix, is the static friction of two sliding plastic parts.
This is about a keyboard key switch that was made during the 80s. The problem/issue ...
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A useful way to reuse non-recyclable plastics: Turn them to petrochemicals, shall we?
I read here (https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/34016/101483) that strongly acidic catalysts can facilitate dimerization of alkene. With catalysts on zeolite to allow only the isooctane (octane ...
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Dissolving CNE (cresol novolac epoxy) resin covered computer chips
I intend to destroy (dissolving would be optimal) a few computer chips (NAND memory chips used eg. on SSDs to be precise).
Why? See foot note.
I am not a chemist, so of course I tried to research the ...
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Oily residue on old toy rubbery tyres
I have some sets made by well-known Danish plastic toy manufacturer from my childhood which I've been reviewing recently. Most of the elements was in a condition I was expecting (some yellowing, a ...
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What is the viscous component in viscoelastic materials? [duplicate]
All real solid materials are in certain way viscoelastic, because an ideal fully elastic material doesn't exist as well as a fully viscous solid material. According to rheologic models it is possible ...
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treating PLA (Polylactic acid) plastic to make it biodegradable
I am using PLA for 3D printing, and I know it does not degrade well in the wild. I would like to know if there is a chemical process I could use to treat it at home.
Specifically, I am looking for a ...
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Searching for a fireproof sponge?
(I know this is a bit off topic, but I don't know where else to ask. If you know a better StackExchange site, please tell me)
I'm working on a project, and I want to basically create a "flaming ...
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The desirable property of plastics [closed]
My teacher once asked me that "one desirable property of plastics is that they can be made into very complicated shapes, Explain how this is done as a reaction"
I never know how to answer ...
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Does mercury react with polycarbonate?
Looking around at various material compatibility charts, they seem quite divided on the compatibility of metallic mercury and polycarbonate. Some sources (here, here, or here) indicate that ...
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"Nivea Sun protect & refresh" melted my tub
I stupidly applied spray sunscreen on my children inside our white, acrylic bathtub and the floor ended up with a white, very sticky residue that rubs off on things, but will not wash away with ...
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Permanent ink from urethane, 99% IPA, and pigment?
I’m an artist and I started working with recycled plastic bottles as a material recently. I want to paint the plastic and retain its transparency, but acrylic paint won’t stick without priming and ...
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Does #4 LDPE Plastic Bottle Leach into Water?
I understand that Water Bottles expire due only to the fact that the plastic can degrade over time and leach into the water making the water's taste not as desirable as the manufacturer might intend.
...
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HDPE vs PP for storing pure aldehydes
I know both HDPE and PP have at least some degree of resistance to aldehydes, esters and aliphatic hydrocarbons.
I am concerned however about minute contamination over time of pure samples and so I ...
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I want to purposefully dry up (polymerize) an entire bottle of ethyl cyanoacrylate (Super Glue). How to do it?
So, I want to do some tests with the solid form of ethyl cyanoacrylate.
I have a small 20g bottle which was very cheap so I don't mind.
How can I cause the entire contents of the bottle to set and ...
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Plasticisers and other impurities from polyethylene laboratory bottles?
Does polyethylene (PE), widely used for wash/squirt bottles in labs, contain soluble compounds such as plasticizers that can accumulate in organic solvents (e.g. alcohols, acetone) after prolonged ...
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Will toluene vapors damage a mirror made from PETG?
I'm working on a project for work and trying to avoid using an acrylic mirror because I know that doesn't hold up well against toluene, but I'm wondering if a mirror made out of PETG would?
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Fumes by Melting Aluminium Soda Cans [closed]
I am planning to melt and cast aluminium from soda cans. I went to quora page that deals with "burning" aluminium can, which can release toxic gases as the cans are coated with plastic inner lining. ...
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Is corovin Polypropylene or flat polyester?
I'm wanting to know what material 'corovin' is as described on some duvet covers. Googling it, some places say it is just another name for 'Polypropylene' while other places say it is 'flat polyester'...
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What type of plastic (PET, HDPE etc.) is appropriate to store alcohol based hand sanitizer? [closed]
I’ve been tasked with distributing hand sanitizer to public safety staff from a bulk supply in gallon jugs. I need a portable squeeze bottle, but I’m having trouble determining what type of plastic (...
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At what temperature does a polyester release toxic gases?
I've bought a "Shrinky Dinks" printable sheets and now I'm feeling unsure about using it since I've read that heating polyester materials may be very harmful for health, and the final ...
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Would ABS plastic degrade in a dishwasher?
I printed an object with a 3D printer and I used a roll of light green ABS plastic filament.
I would like to use the dishwasher to clean it. The temperature would be kept below 70°C, well below the ...
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Acetone-resistant clear plastic
Is there a plastic that's clear, acetone resistant, and ideally sold in sheet stock that's ~1/8" or 1/4" thick? Both acrylic and polycarbonate are out, they turn cloudy on contact with acetone. I ...
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What can I use to remove print from hard surfaces?
I have a lot of profile products with the logotype of the company handing them out printed on them. In some situations I don't like to show these logos. However, it is stupid to bin working products ...
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