by Todd Hotes | Sep 18, 2023 | Blog
In healthcare, the materials used serve as a vital influence on the quality of care for patients and the costs they pay. Modern medical device manufacturing advancements hinge primarily on the revolution of polymer resins.
Polymer resins are a class of synthetic organic compounds. In manufacturing, it’s polymer resins adaptability for complex shaping that makes them a viable component. As polymer science evolves, the medical industry is increasingly leveraging its power.
Let’s dive deeper into the role of polymer resins in the medical field.
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by Todd Hotes | Aug 27, 2023 | Blog
The evolution of construction has an obvious, and essential, relationship with the materials it uses. Throughout history, available materials have shaped the way construction has progressed. From the mud bricks of ancient Mesopotamia to the steel beams of modern skyscrapers, we see it everywhere around us, all throughout history.
Today, we aren’t using mud bricks. Instead, materials such as polymer resins are emerging as materials used to create rigorously strong, safe, and cost-effective construction.
From the durability of Polycarbonate (PC) to the versatility of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polymers offer benefits that many legacy materials can’t compete with.
From the inception of a working construction project to the final touches, we’ll explore how essential polymer resins help us build for a better future.
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by Todd Hotes | Jul 23, 2023 | Blog
Materials make all the difference, particularly in the competitive electronics industry. If the product’s core suffers from poor quality, design and functionality may falter. And that can lead to poor usability for consumers, and we know where that goes.
Engineering resins are a class of polymers with superior mechanical and thermal properties. The electronics industry leverages engineering resins in numerous and extensive aspects of their manufacturing.
In today’s blog post, we’ll examine five benefits to using engineering resins in electronics manufacturing.
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by Todd Hotes | Jun 10, 2023 | Blog
The world of polymer resins is vast and sometimes confusing. But it’s our world, and today we’ll explain the basics: what polymer resins are and how we use them.
What Are Polymers?
Did you know polymers surround you every day? Before we get to polymer resins, let’s start with polymers themselves. Polymers are large molecules made of smaller, repeating units called monomers. These monomers link together in chain-like structures, often forming complex three-dimensional networks.
The interesting part: polymers are a critical component of many everyday materials. They can be as elastic as rubber or as rigid as plastic. Where do we find them?
- Household products: furniture, toys, carpet, and electronics all contain polymers. Clothing often uses synthetic fabrics derived from polymers.
- Packaging: from the boxes on your doorstep to the bubble wrap the kids love, polymers are everywhere in packaging.
- Automobiles: polymers appear in seatbelts, fuel tanks, airbags, tires, and many other parts.
- Construction: polymers are used in pipes, insulation, flooring, roofing, windows, and doors.
- Medical: polymers are common in medical and surgical equipment and can make sterilization more efficient.
There’s more, but let’s get back to our subject and pick up engineering resin use cases later.
So, What Are Resins?
Now let’s add resins to the picture. Resins are a subset of polymers: viscous substances that can harden permanently, which makes them vital for creating durable materials. They come in two forms, natural (think plants) and synthetic (think chemical processing). We keep this short here because we cover natural and synthetic resins in depth in our Essential Guide to Resins. For this guide, the key point is how resins fit into the polymer family and what makes engineering resins special.
There are three broad categories of polymer resins:
- Thermoplastic Resins: can be heated and cooled repeatedly without harming their properties. Because the process is repeatable, they are recyclable. Examples include polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polystyrene (PS).
- Thermosetting Resins: undergo a chemical reaction when heated that permanently hardens them. The process cannot be reversed, so they are used where higher durability is required.
- Elastomers: a polymer resin type with high elasticity. They stretch and return to their original shape. Think rubber.
Because of their diverse properties, polymer resins are used extensively in manufacturing, packaging, automotive, construction, and healthcare.
So, Is a Resin a Polymer?
Yes. A resin is a type of polymer. Polymers are large molecules made of repeating structural units joined by covalent bonds, and resins are a subset of those: viscous substances derived from natural or synthetic sources. Put simply, all resins are polymers, but not all polymers are resins.
Synthetic resins are man-made polymers. They are common in industrial and commercial applications, in materials such as polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA).
Resin Properties: What Sets Them Apart
Resin properties describe how a resin performs: its strength, heat resistance, flexibility, chemical resistance, and dimensional stability. These properties determine which resin fits which job. The ones engineers look at most:
- Mechanical strength and stiffness: how much load a resin can bear without deforming.
- Thermal resistance: how well a resin holds up to heat, important for under-the-hood and electronics uses.
- Chemical resistance: how well it withstands solvents, fuels, and other chemicals.
- Flexibility and impact resistance: how well it absorbs stress without cracking.
- Dimensional stability: how well it keeps its shape over time and temperature.
Engineering resins stand out because they are tuned for superior mechanical and thermal properties compared with commodity plastics.
Engineering Resins: The Main Course
Of course, we’d be remiss not to discuss thermoplastic polymers, more widely known as engineering resins. That’s our expertise. Polymer resins are the broad term; engineering resins are a more specific group of thermoplastic polymers with superior mechanical and thermal properties compared with commodity plastics. They are used in demanding applications thanks to their strength, temperature resistance, and durability.
Engineering Resin Uses
- Industrial equipment: used in bearings, gears, and other critical moving parts to reduce friction and add stiffness.
- Aerospace: PEEK is used for its low weight and high strength-to-weight ratio, often in aircraft interiors and cable insulation.
Automotive Industry and Engineering Resins
Engineering resins, including polyamides (nylons), are used in under-the-hood automotive applications for their ability to withstand high heat and harsh chemicals, in components like radiator end tanks, air intake manifolds, and engine covers. Engineering thermoplastics are increasingly central to the electric vehicle revolution, including in batteries and components. ABS/PC blends are widely used for their balanced toughness and heat resistance.
Construction Industry and Polymer Resins
Polymer resins have changed the way we build. From early stages through final details, they provide strong, durable results. Modified polymer resins serve as binders in polymer concretes: isophthalic polyester polymer concrete offers rapid hardening and acid resistance, and epoxy polymers are increasingly used to repair and retrofit concrete structures. PC/ABS offers load capacity that helps build gear mechanisms.
Polymer Suppliers and Why We’re Critical
Without polymer suppliers, distributing polymers and maintaining quality control would be chaotic. Suppliers produce and distribute raw polymers, resins, additives, and more, playing a crucial role in supply chains across plastics, rubber, construction, automotive, and medical devices.
We hope this guide helped level-set a complex but remarkable industry. Got questions? Contact us at info@prlresins.com or learn more about Polymer Resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are polymer resins?
Polymer resins are polymers in a form that can harden into solid materials. They include thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers, and they are used across manufacturing, packaging, automotive, construction, and healthcare.
Is a resin a polymer?
Yes. A resin is a subset of polymers, a viscous substance made of repeating molecular units that can come from natural or synthetic sources. All resins are polymers, but not all polymers are resins.
What is the difference between thermoplastic and thermosetting resins?
Thermoplastic resins can be melted and reshaped repeatedly, which makes them recyclable. Thermosetting resins harden permanently and cannot be remelted, which suits high-durability uses.
What are engineering resins?
Engineering resins are thermoplastic polymers with superior mechanical and thermal properties compared with commodity plastics. They are used in demanding automotive, aerospace, electronics, and medical applications.
