Plastics vs. Polymers: Know The Key Differences

The relationship between consumers and industries has always been a two-way street; a consistent chain of demand and supply. As consumer demands change, businesses have to evolve. On the other hand, as the products and services offered by businesses evolve, consumer perspectives are altered as well. Every once in a while, somewhere in between this dynamic pattern, there comes a wave of revolution that implores industries to change for the better. It prompts sectors and firms to grow economically, as well as ethically.

When it comes to the packaging industry, one of the recent catalysts of change is consumers’ newfound love for sustainability. They are more inclined towards solutions that not only ensure convenience, but also are designed in a way that respects the environment, and all that it has to offer.  This rising demand for sustainability has led to a massive shift to new-age plastics and polymers in the packaging sector. However, the newness of this shift in terms is still lingering among businesses and consumers alike, leaving them with the daunting dilemma of plastics vs. polymers.

Most people often wonder – Is polymer plastic? The truth is the other way around. The key difference here is that plastic is a specific type of polymer. To put it simply, all plastics are polymers, but all polymers are not necessarily plastic. Before we dive further into the particular differences between the two, let’s first understand what they mean individually. 

What are plastics? Plastics fall under the polymer category. They are semi-organic materials that are extracted from oil or petroleum. Being a certain type of polymer, plastics do feature similar physical characteristics and flexibility in terms of diverse applications as well. They are generally produced by condensation and addition polymerization reactions.

What are the types of plastic and their uses? The classification of plastics can be done this way – they are either thermoplastics or thermosets. When heated and molded, thermosets take an irreversible form and pattern. Thermoplastics are a product of polymers that can be heated and reshaped as many times as required. Unlike polymers that can occur naturally, plastics are entirely man-made. 

Plastics are known to be lightweight and feature excellent chemical resistance. Over the years, they have served multiple industries like consumer product packaging, textiles, transportation, electrical and industrial machinery, building and construction, etc. As such, they have a wide range of applications – shopping bags, bottles, containers, laminating films, fibers – are a few of the common examples.

What are polymers made of? Polymers are essentially long-chain compounds made of a molecule called a monomer. In the simplest sense, polymers are massive molecules that are formed by smaller, identical molecules. However, polymers feature different chemical and physical properties in comparison to the monomers that are made of. 

What’s interesting here is that the properties of polymers can be easily altered to serve a specific purpose. Materials born out of polymers are cost-effective. They feature superior thermal and electrical insulation and are considered to be ultra-lightweight as compared to their alternatives. Another reason for their popularity is that they do not require any post-treatment finishing. Today’s most familiar plastic polymers include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), epoxy, and polyester (PS).

There are two main types of polymers – natural and synthetic. Natural polymers or biopolymers include materials like wool, cotton, wool, proteins, and such. Synthetic polymers shelter materials like Teflon, Polyethylene, nylon, polyester, epoxy, etc. Furthermore, synthetic polymers are classified into three types – thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers.

Polymers can also be categorized depending on their synthesis methods. If the monomers have double bonds between carbons from addition reactions, the polymers can be synthesized. These are called addition polymers. Condensation polymers, on the other hand, are formed through a polymerization process where smaller molecules or monomers react with each other to form larger structural units. During the process, by-products such as small water molecules are released.

Primary Differences Between Plastics vs. Polymers

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