Discussing Bio Plastics – Developments In The Plastic Industry

You will have noticed that within our blog we like to identify the positive developments that are taking place within the plastic industry and particularly those that will help protect our environment. Bio plastics are created from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable fats, sugar cane, starch or microbiota, straw or cotton. It is thought that by being able to produce plastics from these sources that the plastic industry will be able to move away from using limited fossil resources.

Some of the benefits of using bio plastic includes:

  • The components used to create bio plastics are more cost effective – cheaper than oil
  • Reduced carbon footprint during their production
  • The material can be recycled into other products again
  • Non toxic
  • Biodegrade much faster
  • Require less energy to produce
  • Less landfill area needed as they can be absorbed by the soil

Bio plastics are used in a majority of products such as food packaging yet can also be used to produce electrical housing.

Due to the benefits that bio plastics present it is thought that the bio plastics industry is growing at least 20% a year.

 

 

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Types of Plastic Extrusion and Where to Use Them

There are so many different types of plastic that can be extruded, each with different properties and different uses. At Rayda Plastics, plastic extrusion involves extruding a wide range of materials and we have summarised each one below:

UPVC
UPVC is a rigid form of PVC. It is both self-extinguishing and resistant to chemicals whilst being a low-cost material. It is ideal for indoor and outdoor use, which makes it great for window frames, drainpipes and fencing. It comes in a wide range of colours and grades so you’ll be able to find something for every situation. 

PVC
PVC is a flexible material that comes in a range of colours and softness. Like UPVC, this material is low cost and can also be used both indoors and out. PVC is commonly used for gaskets, bumpers, sleeves and medical tubing. Continue reading →

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Extrusion. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

The Use of Plastic in the Home

Why Plastic?

Plastic is a durable and strong material that uses fewer resources in production than a lot of its competitor materials. It is also often a lot more cost-effective than other materials, such as wood, metal and glass. The flexibility and versatility of plastic gives it plenty of uses in the home, both inside and out. It can be found on appliances such as televisions, telephones, and microwaves and in the textiles found on sofas, carpets and clothes.

It is also used heavily in kitchens and bathrooms due to its water and chemical resistant properties, which make it a hygienic material to use. Also, using plastic packaging for our foodstuffs can significantly extend their shelf lives.

 Which Materials are Used?

One of the most common plastics found in the home is Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). This material varies between being rigid and completely flexible, which means it can be used in a number of circumstances. PET is water resistant and it is often used to produce packaging for foods and toiletries.  Continue reading →

Posted on August 14, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Uses. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Navtar Launches Microextruded Medical Tubing

Tekni-Plex company, Navtar announced the launch of their tight tolerance microextruded medical tubing earlier this year at the MD&M East, a MedTech event in New York. They have produced this tubing for use in neurovascular interventional therapies (working with nerves and blood vessels) and for use in various surgical applications. Navtar’s products are already used in medicine across the world for an array of treatments.

These newly developed microextruded tubes have been made from thermoplastics to make them more cost-effective than previous materials used, such as glass and fluoropolymers. Continue reading →

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Uses. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

CEFLEX to Provide Solutions for Circular Economy

CEFLEX is a project where a number of European associations are working collaboratively to increase the relevance of flexible packaging, which is packaging produced from materials such as paper, plastic, film and aluminium foil. By doing so, they can generate solutions for a circular economy.

A circular economy is a continuous cycle that aims to give us as much use out of materials as possible. It follows the make, use, dispose cycle which can be constantly looped, provided there are adequate recycling opportunities available. Continue reading →

Posted on July 6, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic and the environment. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Plastic Recycling Strategy Launched by BPF

Generally, recycling has seen significant improvement in recent years due to increasing environmental concerns. Everyday consumers and manufacturers alike are becoming more mindful of how they dispose of their waste product and materials. As plastics are harder to recycle, the plastic recycling industry has had to develop slower as a result.

According to the British Plastics Federation, only 29% of plastic waste in the UK is recycled.  To encourage plastic recycling in the UK, a new strategy has been launched. Organised by the British Plastics Federation Recycling Group (BPFRG), this industry-led strategy will aim to develop the plastic recycling industry and to keep the valuable plastic within the UK. Continue reading →

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic and the environment. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Design Innovation in Plastics competition to ease travel experiences

The Design Innovation in Plastics competition has been organised for design students in the UK and Ireland by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and the Worshipful Company of Horners.

The brief called for entrants to create an innovative, original and cost-effective design for a product which will create a travel experience with more comfort and less stress for its users. The product must also be sustainable, robust and safe for travel security checks. Continue reading →

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Events. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Are Zinc Salts the Answer to Plastic Extrusion Strength?

In plastic extrusion, polypropylene is commonly used, but this material lacks in strength against heat, particularly. Some suppliers have been producing high-melt-strength polypropylene by using a resin. This material is gaining in popularity and is very suitable for foam extrusions.

The new high-melt-strength polypropylene produces low-density foams which are great for food packaging, vehicle seating and sports shoes.  It is also used in large-part blow-moulding and thermoforming, as well as for plastic extrusions. Continue reading →

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Extrusion. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Recycling Plastic in the Home

Plastic is a material that can be found everywhere and you will almost certainly come into contact with it several times a day. Plastic is an affordable material that is lightweight, durable and has a long life of use which makes it an excellent option for everyday life around the home.

However, due to the durable characteristics and therefore long life of plastic, it does not degrade as easily as wood or other natural materials and it is much harder to recycle at home than say cardboard, metal and wood. As a result, domestic waste has increased dramatically over the last few years and plastic is a main contributor to this. Continue reading →

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic and the environment. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment

Is Plastic the Answer to Brain Interfaces?

Advances in technology and science have now made it possible to chemically modify electricity-conducting plastics to improve their conductivity and make them more elasticated. Removing the brittle characteristic of these electronics allows a number of advances to be made, particularly in medicine as the electrodes produced can act as a second skin.

These plastic electrodes will open up several possibilities in the future for brain interfaces and other electronic implants. For example, they can send out pulses to shock the brain which can help with several issues such as pain relief and mental health. As the brain increases and decreases in size throughout the day, any electronic implants need to be able to stretch and adapt to these differences in order to keep connections strong, so the focus with this research was to make the existing electrodes more flexible. Continue reading →

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Rayda Plastics | This entry was posted in Plastic Uses. Bookmark the permalink. | Leave a comment