Manufacturing Plastics in China

Plastic manufacturing process can be divided into various steps. The first step mainly includes acquiring of the raw material followed by the synthesizing of the basic polymer. The synthesized polymer is then compounded into a fabrication material. After these steps, the plastic is then molded into its final form.

In past, materials such as cellulose obtained from cotton, furfural obtained from oat hulls, oil obtained from seeds, and other such starchy substances were used to manufacture plastic. However, nowadays petrochemicals are used to manufacture plastic in most parts of the world including China. The petrochemicals are relatively cheaper and readily available, and are thus used widely for the manufacture of plastic these days.

The very basic and initial step involved in the preparation of plastic is polymerization which can be done by two basic methods called addition and condensation reactions. The addition and condensation reactions usually occur at gaseous, liquid, or solid state.

After polymerization, the next step is the addition of certain additives to give definite required characteristics to the plastic. The most commonly used additives for the production of plastic include antioxidants which prevent the plastic from ruining due to oxygen, ultraviolet stabilizers, and plasticizers (which give flexibility to the plastic). Some other additives such as lubricants, pigments, and flame retardants are also used in the manufacturing process of plastic.
The strength and reliability of the plastic is increased by reinforcements such as glass or carbon fibers. The final step in the manufacturing of plastic is shaping the plastic for the desired purpose. Compression molding is the most widely used technique for converting plastic into the desired shape. In this process, the plastic is melted under high pressure and is then molded into the desired shape.

Extrusion is another method used for shaping of plastic. Another variation in this method is known as extrusion blow molding. Apart from that, other methods known as calendaring and transfer molding are also used to shape plastic into desired form.
In the modern world of today, almost every other product is made using some sort of plastic parts. Due to this increase in demand for plastic for various purposes, China has been producing plastic for a variety of purposes since several years. The plastic manufactured in China is known for its strength and reliability. Moreover, the plastics manufactured in China today are high in demand because of their little or no weight and also because of their resistant properties towards corrosion and other chemical reactions. Plastic manufacturing companies in China have paid a lot of attention towards the quality and durability of plastic they produce, and so far they have also been successful in manufacturing plastic with utmost quality and reliability. When sourcing plastics globally a manufacture China should be a front runner in your options.

Plastic manufactured in China is usually of two types namely thermoplastics and thermosetting plastic. Some of the examples of thermoplastics include Polyethene, Nylon, PVC, and PVA. Likewise, examples of thermosetting plastic include Bakelite, Urea aldehyde, and Silicones.

All these types and sub-types of plastics have their own usages, for example, a very common type of plastic polyethene is used for making shopping bags. PVC plastic is used in electric cables, suit cases, and gramophone records etc. Bakelite is used for making radios, telephones, and electric switch boards etc.