How is plastic made?

Plastics are synthetic materials that can be shaped in almost any form. Manufacturers make plastics from chemicals. The substances used to make plastics are called synthetic resins. These synthetic resins are made from chemicals that come from such natural materials as coal, limestone, petroleum, salt and water. Making synthetic resins can be thought of as "building" chain molecules or polymers. When a manufacturer combines the chemical compounds, various chemical reactions take place.
The reactions cause certain atoms to cluster together and form the monomer links. The monomers are then connected into a chain-like molecule by a process called polymerisation. This process changes the substance into a synthetic resin. Resin makers can add pigments to produce unlimited varieties of transparency and colour. Manufactures use synthetic resins to make many types of products. These products include paints, lubricants, adhesives, and moulded items such as bottle caps, containers, utensils and hulls of small boats. Various methods are used to make each type of product. The most important methods are moulding, casting, laminating, extrusion and calendering.
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