Plastic is an important material for screen printing. Plastics are polymer materials that have been artificially synthesized using industrial chemistry. In fact, plastic is a collective term for a class of materials. Although these materials differ greatly in chemical composition, they all have many of the same characteristics and properties. These macromolecule materials are composed of macromolecules that are 0.1 to 100,000 times as large as water and sugars, and these extra large molecules are generated by a polymerization reaction in which monomer molecules form a polymer chain.
At present, paper can also be made from plastic, which is called synthetic paper. Synthetic paper has the advantages of water resistance, oil resistance, and dimensional stability in addition to abrasion resistance and tear resistance. Its main disadvantage is its high cost and its price is 2 to 4 times that of plain paper. Synthetic paper is made by laminating polypropylene and polyethylene films and stretching them in two directions (biaxially).
First, the type of plastic
Plastic materials can be divided into the following three categories:
Thermoplastic plastic
2. Hard plastic
3. Synthetic Rubber or Thermo-Elastomer Synthetic rubber is by far the most important plastic material. It is a polymer compound with a three-dimensional network structure. It is generally cheaper and can be easily processed by various molding methods. The thermo-elastomer is malleable and plastically deformable, that is, it can be continuously reheated, melted, and re-solidified. Thermoelastics have a linear structure, whereas hard plastics do not have this feature. Hard plastic can no longer be stretched into its original shape, nor can it be physically melted.
The characteristics of the thermoelastomer, ie, the elastomer, are between the thermoplastic and the hard plastic.
Listed below are the most important plastic materials currently used in screen printing.
Semi-synthetic thermoplastics:
Nitrocellulose (CN)
Cellulose Acetate (CA)
Cellulose Acetate (CAB)
Acrylic cellulose, ethyl cellulose (EC)
Synthetic thermoplastic material:
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Polypropylene ((PP)
Polymethacrylic Detergent Purpose (PMA)
Poly Carbonic Vinegar (PC)
Polyamide ((PA)
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVAI.)
Polyvinyl Acetate Cool (PVAC)
Polyvinylidene chloride ((PVDC)
Polystyrene (PS)
Polypropylene (PAN)
hard plastic:
Phenolic resin (PF)
Acetaldehyde resin (UF)
Melamine formaldehyde resin (MF)
UP
Alkyd Resin Chlorinated Resin (EP)
Polyurethane (PUR)
Synthetic rubber (thermoelastic):
Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
Eye Rubber (NBR)
Butyl rubber (BS)
Silicone Rubber (SI)
Isoprene rubber (IR)
Plastics are used in a wide variety of screen printing applications, such as squeegees made of synthetic rubber, screens made of vinegar and polyamide, and polyacetal bases for knife-engraved films, alkyd resins, and rings. Chlorinated resin and polyurethane based inks and screen printing substrates such as plastic plates, plastic films, and plastic containers.
(to be continued)