A Panorama Guide to Synthetic Resins: Definitions & Polymerization Mechanisms, Classification Frameworks, Common Resins and Applications, Packaging Codes, and a Selection Roadmap (Tables 1–3)
A Panorama Guide to Synthetic Resins: Definitions & Polymerization Mechanisms, Classification Frameworks, Common Resins and Applications, Packaging Codes, and a Selection Roadmap (Tables 1–3)
1) What is a synthetic resin? Is it the same as “plastic”?
Synthetic resin generally refers to man-made polymer feedstocks, or prepolymer systems that can further cure/react to form polymer networks. It is commonly used as the primary binder/matrix in plastics, coatings, adhesives, composites, and more.
Two common meanings of “resin” in industry and terminology
1. Broad industrial usage: Resin is often used to mean “polymer feedstock for plastics” (e.g., “PE resin,” “PP resin”), typically supplied as pellets, powders, flakes, or solutions.
2. More rigorous terminology: IUPAC defines resin as a soft solid or highly viscous substance, typically containing prepolymers with reactive functional groups.
3. Note: In IUPAC usage, resin leans toward a reactive/curable prepolymer system, whereas in industry many fully polymerized raw materials (pellets/powders) are also called resin by convention.
What is “plastic,” and how does it relate to resin?
1. Plastic: A material system whose main component is a polymer, which can be shaped during manufacturing (via melt processing, curing, etc.) and retains its shape at service temperature. Plastics often also include additives such as plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers, flame retardants, and so on.
2. Synthetic resin vs. plastic: The terms are often used interchangeably and the boundary is not absolute—especially in materials and industrial contexts, “synthetic resin” is often treated as the core polymer component/feedstock of a plastic material.
3. Note: Many performance differences come not only from the resin family, but also from formulation and morphology. Plasticization, fillers/glass fiber, flame-retardant packages, crystallinity, molecular-weight distribution, processing thermal history, and degradation/contamination can all substantially change the toughness, heat resistance, and recyclability of “the same resin.”
An easy analogy to remember
1. Resin is like “flour/main ingredient” (polymer feedstock or a curable prepolymer system).
2. Plastic (material/product) is like “bread” (resin + additives/fillers/modifiers + processing/shaping → the final material or product).
2) How are synthetic resins “made”?
At their core, synthetic resins are the products of polymerization reactions: converting monomers (or monomer mixtures) into polymers (macromolecules).
Two main reaction mechanisms
A. Chain polymerization (chain-growth polymerization)
Like pulling up a zipper: an active chain end/active site is generated first; monomers then add continuously to that site. After each growth step, the active site is regenerated—so long chains can form quickly.
B. Step polymerization (step-growth polymerization)
Like building blocks snapping together: monomers, oligomers, and even longer molecules can react with each other, growing step by step. IUPAC further divides step polymerization into:
(a) Polycondensation (condensation polymerization): Growth via condensation reactions, often releasing small-molecule by-products (e.g., water, alcohols, HCl).
(b) Polyaddition (addition step polymerization): Also step-growth, but the growth steps are typically addition reactions and do not produce low-molecular-weight by-products.
In industry, “where do the feedstocks come from?”
Plastics/resins often start from feedstocks such as salt, natural gas, crude oil, coal, and cellulose, which are converted into monomers/intermediates, then transformed into polymers through polymerization (including polycondensation, etc.).
3) A brief history of synthetic resins/plastics
1. 1862 | Parkesine (a key prehistory milestone): Alexander Parkes patented and exhibited Parkesine, a cellulose-derivative-based material, in London. It is often regarded as one of the early “man-made plastics” and laid groundwork for the later celluloid route.
2. 1869–1871 | Celluloid (from “showcase” to commercialization): While seeking an ivory substitute, John Wesley Hyatt advanced processes and applications based on cellulose nitrate + camphor. Related methods were patented in 1869, and celluloid production/promotion began around 1871, expanding early plastic goods and photographic film applications (while also introducing major safety risks due to flammability).
3. 1907 | Bakelite (phenolic resin): Baekeland’s phenolic thermoset resin system, developed and industrialized, is widely seen as one of the earliest industrialized fully synthetic plastics and a landmark that ushered in the modern polymer industry.
4. 1926 | Plasticized PVC becomes commercially processable: Waldo Semon, working at B.F. Goodrich, plasticized and flexibilized PVC, turning it from “hard and difficult to process” into a workable, elastic material—enabling broader commercialization.
5. 1933–1939 | LDPE industrialization and wartime demand: ICI first produced low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in 1933, obtained a process patent in 1937, and commercialized it in 1939. During WWII, LDPE’s excellent electrical properties led to applications such as insulation for radar cables.
6. 1930s (patents from the late 1930s) | Epoxy resin routes take shape and industrialize: Key epoxy chemistry routes were advanced in the 1930s by researchers including Castan (Switzerland) and Greenlee (United States), moving into patenting and industrial expansion in the late 1930s/1940s. Epoxies rapidly spread into adhesives, coatings, electronics encapsulation, and became a major matrix resin for composites.
Takeaway: Many turning points in materials history are not simply “a new molecule was discovered,” but more often the combination of processability breakthroughs (e.g., plasticization/curing systems) plus mature scalable manufacturing (continuous processes, catalysis, lower costs).
4) How can synthetic resins be classified?
A. By thermal behavior: thermoplastics vs. thermosets
1. Thermoplastics: Soften/melt upon heating and harden upon cooling; the process is reversible, enabling repeated reshaping. In principle, this makes them more compatible with mechanical recycling (though actual recycling performance depends on formulation, contamination, degradation, etc.).
2. Thermosets: Often start as flowable/moldable systems; after curing they form a crosslinked network. Once cured, they typically cannot be remelted or reshaped (reheating tends to cause decomposition rather than melting).
3. Supplement: Their superior heat/chemical resistance largely comes from the covalent crosslinked network formed during curing.
B. By market position/performance: commodity vs. specialty/high-performance (including engineering plastics)
1. Commodity resins: High-volume, low-cost resins used broadly in daily goods and general industrial products (typical examples: PE, PP, PVC, PS).
2. Specialty resins: Lower-volume, higher-cost resins with tailored performance for specific applications; this category includes what are commonly called engineering plastics/resins.
3. Engineering plastics/resins: Resins with notably higher strength, heat resistance, wear resistance, etc., that can compete with die-cast metal parts in some applications. Common examples: PA, POM, PC, PBT/PET (often reinforced), ABS (engineering-modified systems). For more demanding conditions, high-performance polymers (e.g., PEEK, PPS, PSU/PPSU) and fluoropolymers (PTFE, PVDF, etc.) are often selected.
C. By polymerization mechanism: chain vs. step polymerization
1. Chain polymerization: Growth proceeds via chain reactions as monomers add to an active site/active chain end, regenerating the active site after each propagation step. Typical steps: initiation → propagation → termination (or chain transfer).
2. Step polymerization: Chain growth occurs through stepwise reactions among molecules of different chain lengths (monomers/oligomers/polymers). IUPAC further divides it into:
(a) Polyaddition (addition step polymerization)
(b) Polycondensation (condensation step polymerization)
Reminder: Mechanistic classification (chain vs. step) ≠ thermoplastic vs. thermoset. Either thermoplastics or thermosets can arise from different mechanisms; for thermosets, the key is whether a crosslinked network forms.
Summary roadmap: Use A first to infer shaping and recycling routes (thermoplastic/thermoset) → use B to gauge cost/performance tier (commodity/engineering/high-performance) → use C to better understand formulation and differences in heat/chemical resistance (chain vs. step; addition vs. condensation).
5) What are common synthetic resins? Key features and applications
Family (Abbrev.) | Category | Typical strengths/features | Common application scenarios |
PE (Polyethylene: HDPE/LDPE, etc.) | Thermoplastic | Lightweight, chemical-resistant, easy to process; LDPE is more flexible, HDPE is stiffer | Films/bags, bottles/drums, pipes, containers |
PP (Polypropylene) | Thermoplastic | Lightweight; relatively better heat resistance; chemical-resistant; good for “living hinges” | Food containers, consumer goods, automotive interiors, nonwovens |
PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) | Thermoplastic | Can be formulated as rigid or flexible (via formulation); good flame retardancy and electrical insulation | Pipes/profiles, cables, flooring, medical tubing/blood bags, etc. |
PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) | Thermoplastic | Transparent, relatively good barrier properties, good strength | Beverage bottles, food packaging, polyester fibers |
PS (Polystyrene; incl. EPS foam) | Thermoplastic | Transparent but relatively brittle; foamed PS is very light and provides insulation/cushioning | Disposable tableware, clear boxes, foam cushioning/insulation |
PA (Nylon; Polyamide) | Engineering thermoplastic | Good strength, wear resistance, oil resistance; water absorption can affect dimensions | Gears, bearing parts, fibers, cable ties |
PC (Polycarbonate) | Engineering thermoplastic | High impact strength, transparent, relatively good heat resistance | Protective covers, transparent structural parts, electronics/appliances |
PMMA (Acrylic) | Engineering thermoplastic | High transparency, weather resistance, good surface gloss | Transparent sheets, lamp covers, signage |
ABS | Engineering thermoplastic | Well-balanced toughness and processability | Consumer electronics housings, home appliances, automotive interior/exterior parts |
POM (Polyoxymethylene / Acetal) | Engineering thermoplastic | High stiffness, low friction, good dimensional stability | Precision gears, sliding parts, structural components |
EP (Epoxy resin) | Thermoset | Strong adhesion; good chemical resistance and electrical performance; can serve as composite matrix | Adhesives, coatings, electronic encapsulation, fiber-reinforced composites |
UPR (Unsaturated polyester resin) | Thermoset | Well-suited for glass-fiber reinforcement; good cost-performance | FRP (boat hulls, tanks, panels/sheets) |
PF (Phenolic resin) | Thermoset | Heat resistant, dimensionally stable, good flame retardancy | Electrical components, heat-resistant structural parts, friction materials |
PU (Polyurethane) | Thermoplastic or thermoset | “Formulation champion”: can be flexible foam/rigid foam/elastomer/coating | Thermal-insulation foams, mattresses, elastomers (tire alternatives), coatings |
6) How do you read the numbers on plastic packaging? What do they mean?
When you see the numbers 1–7, they usually refer to the Resin Identification Code (RIC).
Its main purpose is to identify the resin type for sorting, rather than to guarantee that “this item is definitely recyclable in your area.” The Resin Identification Code (RIC) is specified in ASTM D7611/D7611M; the standard emphasizes that the RIC is for resin identification only and is not equivalent to a “recyclable” claim.
RIC 1–7 reference table
Number | Common abbreviation | Resin represented | Where you most commonly see it |
1 | PET / PETE | Polyester (PET) | Beverage bottles; some clear food packaging |
2 | HDPE | High-density PE | Detergent bottles, milk jugs, rigid containers |
3 | PVC / V | PVC | Pipes/sheets; some blister packaging; flexible tubing, etc. |
4 | LDPE | Low-density PE | Cling film, plastic bags, inner layers of flexible packaging |
5 | PP | PP | Takeout boxes, cup lids, microwave containers (grade-dependent) |
6 | PS | PS | Disposable cutlery, clear boxes; foamed form is cushioning foam |
7 | OTHER | Other / composites | PC, PLA, ABS, nylon, or multilayer composites, etc. |
Two important notes
1. “Triangle + number” ≠ “guaranteed recyclable.” Whether it is accepted and how it is collected depends on the local system and also on the item form, whether it is multilayer/composite, contamination, and other factors.
2. For self-declared environmental claims (often discussed under frameworks such as ISO 14021), one commonly used symbol is the Mobius loop:
(a) Without a percentage, it is typically used to express a “recyclable” claim.
(b) With a percentage and accompanying statement, it can be used to express “recycled content.”
In addition, you may sometimes see material markings like >PP< or >PET<. This comes from ISO 11469, a plastic product identification system that uses abbreviations to help identify materials.
7) Future directions for synthetic resins
Direction 1: From “it can be made” to “designed to be recycled better”
1. Packaging is increasingly emphasizing recyclable / reusable / compostable designs that can realistically support a closed-loop system—and highlighting that “designed for recycling” is not enough; it must actually be recyclable in the real system.
2. Regulations in regions such as the EU are also expanding requirements to cover the full packaging lifecycle (from design to waste management).
Direction 2: Circular economy and upgrading recycling technologies (mechanical + chemical in parallel)
1. OECD global analyses point out that plastic waste recycling rates remain relatively low, while growth in demand and waste generation continues to create pressure—so both policy and industry are pushing for more circular value chains.
2. At the industry level, more systematic recycling routes are being advanced (sorting, washing, re-pelletizing, and chemical recycling for more complex cases).
Direction 3: More “sustainable feedstocks” and “more precisely functional materials”
1. Bio-based/biodegradable materials (e.g., certain PLA products) may grow in specific scenarios, but whether they truly reduce environmental burden depends heavily on the use case, recycling/composting infrastructure, and compatibility with existing recycling systems.
2. Meanwhile, materials will continue to evolve toward higher heat resistance, higher strength, better barrier performance, and lightweighting, driven by trends such as automotive lightweighting/electrification and miniaturization in electronics and electrical applications.
Direction 4: “Repairable/reprocessable” thermosets becoming a research hotspot
1. Because thermosets form crosslinked networks that are hard to remelt and reshape, end-of-life treatment is more difficult.
2. As a result, reprocessable crosslinked networks (e.g., some newer systems with exchangeable/dynamic bonds) are a key direction for both research and industrial exploration—often discussed in the context of composite recycling challenges.
8) Synthetic resin product selection roadmap | Choose the table by “application scenario” first (Tables 1–3)
Need / scenario | Key decision points | Which table to check first | Typical products to consider |
General-purpose plastics for injection molding / extrusion / prototyping (cost and ease of processing first) | Is it a common plastics system? Focus more on processability and general performance | Table 1 | PE, PS, SAN, PMMA, PC, PVC, EVA/PEVA, ABS 3D-printing filaments |
Packaging / barrier / heat-sealing (films, multilayer co-extrusion, gas barrier) | Do you need oxygen barrier, a heat-seal layer, or flexibility? | Table 1 | EVOH (oxygen-barrier layer), EVA/PEVA (heat-seal/toughening), PE/PS (substrates), PVA/PVAc (coating/adhesive) |
Adhesives / coating / film-forming / binder resins (formulation development, coatings, bonding) | Is film formation/binding/coating rheology the core? | Table 1 | PVA (film-forming/protective colloid), PVAc (white glue base resin), PVB (bonding to glass/metal; interlayer film), silicone oil (defoaming/lubricating aid) |
Processing rheology / QC / methodology (benchmarking, calibration, process window) | Do you need a reference material rather than an “application material”? | Table 1 | PP melt flow rate reference material (MFR/MFI calibration/QC) |
Engineering-plastic structural parts (strength, wear resistance, heat resistance, stability) | Do you need higher mechanical/thermal/wear performance than commodity plastics? | Table 2 | PA6, PA66, PA11, PA12, PC, reinforced PET (PET-GF) |
High-temperature / high-chemical / demanding engineering applications (“hard-core” materials) | Long-term high temperature, aggressive media, dimensional stability/hydrolysis resistance? | Table 2 | PEEK, PPS, PSU, PPO, poly(aryl ether sulfone)/polyphenylsulfone (PPSU-type) |
Fluoropolymers (corrosion resistance, non-stick, low friction, weatherability; chemicals/cables) | Clearly a fluorinated system, or you need extreme chemical/weather resistance and low surface energy | Table 3 | PTFE, PVDF, ETFE, FEP, PFA-type copolymers |
Battery / membrane materials / weather-resistant coatings (common PVDF scenarios) | Lithium-battery binder, filtration membranes, weather-resistant coatings? | Table 3 | PVDF (battery binder/membranes/weather resistance) |
Biodegradable / bio-materials / 3D printing (sustainability or biomedical direction) | Need biodegradability/renewable sourcing; drug release/tissue engineering? | Table 3 | PLA (biodegradable/3D printing), PCL (biodegradable, flexible; controlled release/tissue engineering) |
Thermoset resin systems (cure molding, panel adhesives, heat-resistant adhesives) | Do you need curing reactions + a crosslinked network (rather than melt processing)? | Table 3 | Urea–formaldehyde (UF; panel adhesives/bonding), phenolic (PF; heat resistance/flame retardancy/friction materials) |
Electronic materials / high-temperature insulating coatings / PI route | Is it a PI film-forming route (precursor solution → imidization)? | Table 3 | Polyimide precursor (PAA solution; electronic grade) |
Resin modification / crosslinking mechanism / formulation screening (model resins, oligomers) | Do you need reactive/modifiable oligomers or functional resins for mechanism and formulation work? | Table 3 | Poly[(phenyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde] (low-Mn functional resin/model system) |
Table 1 | Commodity Thermoplastics + Barrier Packaging + Adhesives/Film-Formers + Reference Materials/Additives
Category | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Product name | Specification / Purity | Key features & applications |
Commodity thermoplastic | ABS (3D-printing consumables) | 9003-56-9 | ABS 3D-printing filament | Natural, diam. 2.85 mm | Good toughness/impact resistance and easy processing; suitable for FDM printing of prototype parts, fixtures, housings, structural parts, etc. (can be post-processed by sanding/spraying). | |
Commodity thermoplastic | PE (medium density) | 9002-88-4 | Polyethylene (PE) | Medium density | Chemical resistant, tough, and easy for extrusion/injection molding; used for packaging, containers, pipes, and daily-use products. | |
Commodity thermoplastic | PS | 9003-53-6 | Polystyrene (PS) | General purpose type III, high strength, for extrusion, food grade | Good processability, high rigidity, low cost; used in food packaging, disposable products, extruded sheets/films, and foamed PS. | |
Commodity thermoplastic | SAN | 9003-54-7 | Styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer | General purpose grade | Higher transparency and chemical resistance than PS, with good rigidity; used for appliance housings, transparent containers, and daily-use products; also an important base resin in ABS-related systems. | |
Transparent thermoplastic | PMMA | 9011-14-7 | Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) | General-purpose injection grade | High transparency, weather resistance, good rigidity; used for light-transmitting parts, signs, light guides/optical components, transparent housings, and other injection-molded applications. | |
Engineering plastic | PC | 25037-45-0 | Polycarbonate | UV-resistant grade, melt index: 5 g/10 min (300°C/1.2 kg) | Highly transparent, impact resistant, dimensionally stable; the UV-resistant grade is suitable for outdoor transparent parts, lamp covers, panels, protective shields, etc. | |
Commodity thermoplastic | PVC | 9002-86-2 | Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) | Low molecular weight | Easy to modify via formulation (plasticizers/stabilizers/fillers); relatively good flame retardancy; used in films, pipes, cable compounds, coatings, and compounding studies (low molecular weight can be advantageous for certain formulation processing). | |
Commodity thermoplastic | EVA/PEVA | 24937-78-8 | Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (PEVA) | Vinyl acetate 12 wt.%, melt index 8 g/10 min (190°C/2.16 kg) | Flexible, low-temperature resistant, good adhesion/heat-seal performance; used for hot-melt adhesives, heat-seal layers in packaging, foams, modification/blending, and toughening. | |
Barrier packaging material | EVOH | 25067-34-9 | Poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) | Ethylene 32 mol% | High oxygen barrier (especially under dry conditions); commonly used as a middle layer in multilayer co-extruded packaging films/bottles (combined with PE/PP, etc.). | |
Water-soluble / film-forming polymer | PVA | 9002-89-5 | Mowiol® PVA-124 Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) | Viscosity: 54–66 mPa·s | Water soluble; film-forming/binding; emulsification stabilization and protective colloid; used in adhesives, coatings/films, paper and textile sizing, dispersion-stabilized systems, etc. | |
Adhesive / film-forming resin | PVAc | 9003-20-7 | Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) | approx. M.W. 500,000 | Good film-forming and bonding performance (common base resin for white glue); used in woodworking adhesives, paper/coating binders, emulsion polymerization, and subsequent hydrolysis-to-PVA related research. | |
Bonding / interlayer resin | PVB | 63148-65-2 | Butvar® B-76 Poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) | M.W. 90,000–120,000 | Good adhesion to glass/metal; excellent film formation and toughness; used for laminated safety glass interlayers, binder resin for inks/coatings, ceramic/powder binders, etc. | |
Reference material | PP melt flow rate | 9003-07-0 | Polypropylene melt flow rate reference material | Melt flow rate: 1.65 g/10 min | For MFR/MFI test calibration and QC; suitable for rheology/processing benchmarking, instrument verification, and method consistency evaluation. | |
Silicone material | Silicone oil | 63148-62-9 | Silicone oil | Viscosity 5 cSt (25°C) | Low surface tension; lubrication/defoaming/release; wide temperature range; used in lubricants, defoamers, release agents, additives, and fluid-medium studies. |
Table 2 | Engineering Plastics + High-Performance Engineering Plastics (Nylons / Aromatic / Heat-Resistant)
Category | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Product name | Specification / Purity | Key features & applications |
Engineering plastic | PA6 | 25038-54-4 | Nylon 6 | Pellets | Well-balanced overall performance, easy to process, can be spun into fibers; used for engineering injection-molded parts, films/fibers, and modification/blending studies. | |
Engineering plastic | PA66 | 32131-17-2 | Nylon 6/6 | Pellets | Good strength, wear resistance, and heat resistance; used for gears, bearings, fasteners, structural parts, and engineering injection-molded components. | |
Engineering plastic | PA11 | 25035-04-5 | Nylon 11 | Pellets, 3 mm | Chemical resistant and tough; lower water absorption (often with bio-based sourcing characteristics); used for fuel/gas lines, chemical-resistant flexible tubing, 3D printing, and engineering parts. | |
Engineering plastic | PA12 | 24937-16-4 | Nylon 12 | Pellets | Low water absorption; good toughness and chemical resistance; used for pipes/tubing, powder coatings, 3D printing (SLS), and chemical-resistant parts. | |
High-performance engineering plastic | PEEK | 29658-26-2 | PEEK neat resin pellets | Medium flowability, for injection molding | Excellent heat/chemical/wear resistance and strong mechanical properties; used for high-temperature structural parts, electrical/electronic, aerospace, and medical-device injection-molded components. | |
Engineering plastic | Reinforced PET (PET-GF) | 25038-59-9 | Poly(ethylene terephthalate) | Granular; 30% glass particles as reinforcer | Glass-fiber reinforcement improves rigidity/heat resistance/dimensional stability; used for connectors, structural parts, heat-resistant brackets, and engineering injection molding benchmarking. | |
High-performance engineering plastic | PPS | 25212-74-2 | Poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) (PPS) | Avg. Mₙ ~10,000, powder | High heat and chemical resistance, dimensional stability, and good flame retardancy; used for high-temperature electrical/automotive parts, corrosion-resistant structural parts, and powder/composite material research. | |
High-performance engineering plastic | Polysulfone (PSU) | 25135-51-7 | Polysulfone (PSU) | Mw ~75,000 | Heat resistant, hydrolysis resistant, dimensionally stable, relatively transparent; used for filtration membranes/hollow fibers, hot-water components, medical/labware, and heat-resistant structural parts. | |
High-performance engineering plastic | Polyphenylene oxide (PPO) | 25134-01-4 | Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) | Mw 40,000–50,000 | High Tg, low water absorption, dimensional stability, good electrical properties; commonly used for electrical components and heat-resistant parts; often blended with PS to form modified systems (e.g., Noryl-type approaches). | |
High-performance engineering plastic | Polyarylsulfone / Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU-type) | 25608-63-3 | Poly(oxy-1,4-phenylenesulfonyl-1,4-phenylene) | Melt index 6 g/10 min (380°C/2.16 kg) | High Tg; heat/hydrolysis resistance; chemical resistance; steam-sterilizable; used for high-temperature parts, medical/filtration components, membrane materials, and structural-part research. |
Table 3 | Fluoropolymers + Biodegradable Polyesters + Thermosets/Electronic Resins + Functional Oligomers
Category | CAS No. | Aladdin Cat. No. | Product name | Specification / Purity | Key features & applications |
Fluoropolymer | PTFE | 9002-84-0 | Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | Beads | Excellent chemical/temperature resistance; low friction and low surface energy; used for seals, linings, bearings/sliding materials, insulation parts; also used as a modification filler. | |
Fluoropolymer | PVDF | 24937-79-9 | Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) | Melt viscosity (K Poise): 23.5–29.5, powder | Chemical resistant; weather/UV resistant; good mechanical properties and film-forming; used for Li-battery binders, weather-resistant coatings, filtration/hollow-fiber membranes, pipes, and sealing materials. | |
Fluoropolymer | ETFE | 25038-71-5 | Poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) | Melt index 11 g/10 min (279°C/49 N), pellets | Tough; weather and chemical resistant; melt-processable; used for wire/cable insulation, chemical linings, and films (e.g., architectural membrane films). | |
Fluoropolymer | FEP | 25067-11-2 | Fluorinated ethylene propylene resin (FEP) | Melt index: 35.5–42.0 (g/10 min) | Chemical resistant; low-friction/non-stick; melt-processable; used for cable insulation, films, tubing, linings, and chemical-resistant parts. | |
Fluoropolymer | PFA-type (TFE/fluorovinyl ether copolymer) | 26655-00-5 | Polymer of 1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoro-3-[(trifluorovinyl)oxy]propane and tetrafluoroethylene | Melt index 10–18 (g/10 min) | High-temperature and strong-corrosion resistance, yet melt-processable; commonly used for high-purity chemical delivery lines, semiconductor/chemical anti-corrosion linings, and high-end cables. | |
Biodegradable polyester | PLA | 26100-51-6 | Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) | Mw ~60,000 | Renewable/biodegradable; good rigidity; easy for 3D printing; used in packaging, disposables, 3D-printing filaments, and biomedical materials research. | |
Biodegradable polyester | PCL | 24980-41-4 | Resomer® C 209 Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) | Ester end-capped | Biodegradable; low melting point; good flexibility; used for controlled drug release/tissue-engineering materials, biodegradable hot-melt systems, and 3D-printing/molding studies. | |
Thermoset resin | UF (urea–formaldehyde) | 9011-05-6 | Urea–formaldehyde resin | Solids content 60% | Thermally curable; low cost; good adhesion; used as adhesives for wood-based panels (particleboard/MDF), molding powders, and bonding-system research. | |
Thermoset resin | PF (phenolic) | 9003-35-4 | Phenolic resin | BioReagent | Heat/flame resistant; high hardness after curing; used for heat-resistant adhesives, molding compounds, friction materials, and laboratory resin-system research (BioReagent grade supports research use). | |
Electronic materials | Polyimide precursor (PAA solution) | 25038-81-7 | Poly(pyromellitic dianhydride-co-4,4′-oxydianiline), poly(amic acid) solution | Electronic grade | Precursor solution for polyimide (PI); forms films via subsequent thermal/chemical imidization; used for electronic insulating coatings, flexible substrates, heat-resistant films, and packaging/dielectric studies. | |
Functional resin | Aromatic epoxy/acetal copolymer | 28064-14-4 | Poly[(phenyl glycidyl ether)-co-formaldehyde] | Avg. Mₙ ~345 | Low-molecular-weight functional resin (more like a “model resin/oligomer”); suitable for mechanism studies and formulation screening in coatings/adhesives/resin modification and crosslinking systems. |
Note: The above are representative Aladdin products. For more specifications, please refer to the product list at the end of the article, or search the Aladdin website by product name/CAS number.
Aladdin: https://www.aladdinsci.com/