The characters of plastics (2024)

A witty taxonomy likens common commercial plastics to human personalities, arguing that lumping everything together as “plastic” obscures important differences in properties and hazards. Polyethylene and polypropylene are described as cheap, simple and chemically inert but vulnerable to UV embrittlement; nylon (and glass‑fiber‑reinforced nylon) is strong and lightweight; polycarbonate is impact‑resistant yet chemically attackable and a source of BPA; PVC can be rigid or soft depending on plasticizers, with stabilizers and combustion byproducts posing health and environmental concerns; and polyurethane is versatile but prone to catastrophic aging and vigorous burning. Specific, practical details underscore these contrasts: acetone causes “crazing” in polycarbonate, plasticizers migrate and create interior films in cars, and flame retardants and stabilizers trade one hazard for another.

The piece also profiles thermosets and specialty polymers: Bakelite as brittle but heat‑resistant, polystyrene and ABS as common, cheap and relatively weak (with foam useful for insulation), and PTFE/Teflon as exceptionally nonreactive and nonstick but costly and fluorinated. It emphasizes how processing and reinforcement can transform behavior (e.g., drawn polyethylene fibers or glass‑filled nylon equaling metals in strength) and presses for greater public awareness, since visual inspection cannot reveal the mechanical, chemical, or health‑relevant differences between plastic types.