What are thermoplastics?

Polymer resins melt when heated, so they can be molded as desired and then allowed to harden. The resulting plastic is called thermoplastic.

There are several types of thermoplastics, each with unique properties that make them especially useful for certain applications and budgetary requirements. Thermoplastics are highly resistant to extreme temperatures, corrosive materials or environments.

Common types of thermoplastic materials include:

Acrylic (acrylic)
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Polyamide (PA)
Polylactic acid (PLA)
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
Polyethylene (PE)
Polypropylene (PP)
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)
Let's take a deeper look at some of the materials listed above...