Thermoplastic

Description

A polymer that can be melted with heat then molded multiple times. Thermoplastic polymers are typically soluble in various organic solvents. Examples of thermoplastic polymers are vinyl resins, acrylics, polyethylene, polystyrene, cellulose acetate, polyamides along with some polyesters and polyurethanes. Polymers that cannot be melted are called thermosets.

Synonyms and Related Terms

termoplástico (Esp.); thermoplastique (Fr.); resina termoplastica (It.); termoplástico (Port.); thermoplastic resin;

Comparisons

Physical Properties for Selected Thermoplastic Resins

General Characteristics of Polymers

Authority

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 789

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Theodore J. Reinhart, 'Glossary of Terms', Engineered Plastics, ASM International, 1988

• Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Dictionary of Fiber & Textile Technology (older version called Man-made Fiber and Textile Dictionary, 1965), Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte NC, 1990

• Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982

• Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000