Plastics & Elastomers

These materials are used to make many different products and everyday items. They are strong, yet lightweight, and are widely used in many everyday applications. Polymers made of elastomers typically exhibit a low Young's modulus and high yield strength and failure strain. Because of their viscoelasticity, they deform when under high loads and return to their original shape. The properties of these materials make them highly useful in making a wide variety of products.

The conference focused on the use of plastics in medical devices and featured 12 Guest Speakers. The first presentation, by Dan Lazas, PolyMedex Discovery Group, discussed the importance of polymer biocompatibility in developing medical devices. Another speaker, Steve Schelgel, of the Harvard Business School, spoke about the importance of understanding and satisfying the needs of healthcare customers. Both presentations focused on the importance of understanding the needs of a potential customer and how to design products that will meet their needs.

One of the most exciting applications of plastics and elastomers is in the medical field. Medical elastomers are vital for medical devices, including tubing and surgical drapes. In addition to their medical applications, elastomers have the potential to grow. Depending on the application, they can produce devices with very thin walls and long lengths. For these reasons, they are increasingly popular in the industry.

Elastomers and plastics often come into contact with various chemicals. Some of the most common examples are chemical processing, automotive and aerospace industries, as well as consumer applications. They must contend with ambient oxygen and moisture. The interactions of polymers and chemicals are essential for many applications. For example, impact-modified and "neat" plastics are presented in the first section. Other types of plastics will follow after. The content of fillers will be explained.

Among all the applications of plastics, medical devices are among the most popular. The low cost, adaptability, and availability of medical devices has led to an enormous market for these products. Growth in the medical devices industry is expected in emerging economies, where medical care is more readily available. This sector is also becoming increasingly important in industrial settings. Further, this industry's global expansion is expected to continue to benefit from the growth in the manufacturing of polymers.

Despite its many uses, elastomers have limited commercial applications. They can be hard to work with and need to be carefully chosen to suit the application. Some of the most common thermoplastics are PE (polyethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polystyrene, and polystyrene. Their properties determine their utility in a given application.