Production of Plastics

Plastics are made from crude oil.

The various stages of manufacturing as follows:

Stage 1 – Fractional Distillation

The crude oil after being extracted undergoes a fractional distillation process. Crude oil is composed of
hydro carbons.

In this process, the crude oil is heated in a distillation chamber.

Each hydro carbon has a different boiling point so when heated they will separate and go into their own
zone based on their respective boiling temperature.

Naphtha one of the hydrocarbons from the fractional distillation process is what is used to create
plastics.
Stage 2 – Cracking

Naphtha is used to make plastics.

After being extracted from the distillation column, it undergoes a ‘cracking’ process in which it is
‘cracked’ (broken down) using a catalyst into smaller parts called polymers.

Stage 3 – Polymerization

After the cracking process, the polymers are then subjected to a polymerization process.

There are two types of polymerization process:

1. Addition polymerization
2. Condensation polymerization

Based on the type of plastic which is being made that will determine which polymerization process is
done.

If thermo plastics are being made, addition polymerization is done. In this process the polymers are
arranged in a linear chain. (Straight line)

If thermosetting plastics are being made, condensation polymerization is done. In this process the
polymers are arranged in a three dimensional frame work.