Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
“compounds,” especially thoseintended for common high-volume products,
are often preformulated with additives already mixed in. Yet, even an
off-the-shelf plastic formulation might be further modified by the
processors by mixing in even more additives to obtain the unique mix of
properties that best serves the application.
This diversity presents a bewildering array of choices to a designer of plastic
products. Table 4.1 illustrates the diverse choices available to a designer
looking for a PS for a product application. First, he/she must select a grade
and then a manufacturer. In each step shown in the table, available choices
expand and the designer will select a low-cost formulation that has the
required functionality. The number of available choices will also include
various copolymers of styrene as well as blends of PS with other polymers
(not included in this estimate of choices).
Table 4.1 Choices Available in Selecting a Polystyrene Resin in
the US Market a
All polymers
Choices
Select polymer class
LDPE, HDPE, PP, PC, PS ,
PMMA, SAN, etc.
1 class
GPPS, HIPS , b EPS, etc.
Select grade of PS
7 grades
Select manufacturer of
HIPS
Availability of resin in US
marketplace
~65
manufacturers
Select a resin types
within HIPS
High-impact-grade (HIPS)
resin choices
~400 types (all
manufacturers)
Preformulated
compounds of selected
HIPS
Polystyrene compound ready to
be processed into products
~700
a Numbers based on data from IDES database (UL IDES Prospector Materials
Database).
b High-impact grade of PS.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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