Plastics are versatile, macromolecular materials—polymers that are artificially produced through chemical processes (polymerization). These organic materials do not occur naturally. Their wide range of properties is based on their structural composition, the degree of molecular cross‑linking, and their chemical makeup.
Three groups of plastics are distinguished, all of which we process into technical plastic components:
- Thermoplastics
- Thermosets
- Elastomers