Thermosetting vs Thermoplastic-Eligoprojects
Have you ever though what is difference between thermoplastic and thermoset plastics ? Although both sound similar, but you are wrong, they have very different properties and application.
And now it’s very important to know this difference which can help you make better sourcing decision and improve your product design.
Below we discuss the difference between thermoplastic and thermoset plastics their pros and cons and their curing process.
The primary difference is thermoplastic is a polymeric material that become soft when heated and rigid when cooled. And thermoset is a polymeric material that undergoes irreversible chemical changes when it is cured through heat, catalyst or ultraviolet light: The cross-linking process eliminates the risk of the product remelting when heat is applied. Once cured, the structure cannot be altered.
| Sr.No. | Thermoplastic | Thermoset Platics |
| 1 | Pros | Pros |
| 2 | Impact strength is high | High resistance to temperature |
| 3 | Attractive surface finish | inexpensive |
| 4 | Recyclable / Scrap is Reusable | Stronger than thermoplastic |
| 5 | Zero emissionEasily bond with thermoplastic | Easy to process and laminate |
| 6 | Can be reshaped by reheating | |
| Cons | Cons | |
| 1 | Typically soften with heat | Recycled is impossible |
| 2 | Prototype is difficult | Surface finish is difficult |
| 3 | Shot workable pot life, with some exceptions | Remolding and reshaping is difficult |
| 4 | More expensive than thermoset |
Features and benefits of thermoset
This plastic improves the overall material’s mechanical properties and enhances the chemical resistance, heat resistance and structural integrity. This plastic is used for sealed product due to its resistance to deformation.
Thermoset plastic is well suited for demanding requirement because they have capability to withstand at high pressure and heat for long periods of time before failure. And they have exceptional electrical insulating properties.
Phenolic and Polyesters are the two most commonly used materials for metal replacement. The ability to mold these materials into complex shapes makes them cost effective and also eliminates the need to machine features of a design which allows for closer tolerances. Dimensional stability of these materials guarantees that close tolerances can be controlled and repeated Continually within ten-thousandths of an inch
Advantages Thermoset plastics :
- Resistant to high temperatures
- flexible design
- Thick to thin wall capabilities
- dimensional stability is high
- Cost-effective
Disadvantages of Thermosetting Plastics:
- Recycled is impossible
- surface finish is difficult
- remolding is difficult
Features and benefits of Thermoplastics
Thermoplastic offer high strength, shrink-resistance and easy bend ability and depending on resin , thermoplastic can used for making low stress application such as plastics bags and high stress mechanical parts.
Advantages of Thermoplastic:
- Highly reusable and recyclable
- Impact Resistance is high
- Reshaping capabilities is good
- High resistant to Chemical
- Aesthetically superior finishes
- Hard crystalline or rubbery surface options
Disadvantages of Thermoplastic:
- Highly Expensive
- melt easily if heated