Capabilities

Thermoplastic materials are plastics that soften when heated and harden when cooled, so they can be reshaped multiple times.
 • Common examples include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), ABS, and polycarbonate (PC).
 • This heat-cool cycle is why thermoplastics are widely used in molding and forming processes.

Many thermoplastics can be recycled because they can be remelted, but what’s accepted depends on local collection rules and how clean/sorted the material is.
 • Resin codes help identify the plastic type, but they don’t guarantee curbside acceptance.
 • Mixed materials, labels, food residue, and “multi-layer” packaging can prevent recycling even if the base polymer is recyclable.

Not in the same way. Thermosets don’t remelt; they’re usually downcycled (ground as filler) or processed with more advanced methods like chemical recycling, when available.
 • Because thermosets cure into cross-linked networks, reheating won’t return them to a melt.
 • For some applications, recycling means reclaiming energy or recovering material value through specialized processes.

In practice, PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are the most widely collected; PP (#5) is growing; LDPE (#4) films often require store drop-off; other resins are more limited. Always check local rules.
 • Recycling depends on your area’s sorting equipment and end markets, not just the polymer name.
 • Even “recyclable” polymers may be rejected if they’re contaminated, black-colored, too small, or made from multiple materials.

Most plastics are poor heat conductors compared with metals, which is why they’re used as thermal insulators. Filled or engineered plastics can conduct more heat, so you pick data for the exact grade.
 • Thermal conductivity varies by polymer and by additives (glass fiber, carbon, minerals, foams).
 • Design details matter too: thickness, ribs, airflow, and contact area often dominate real-world heat transfer.

Plastics are often chosen because they’re light, corrosion-resistant, and can be molded into complex shapes at scale. The ‘best‘ plastic depends on strength, temperature, finish, and cost targets.
 • They can combine useful traits (impact resistance, chemical resistance, electrical insulation, or optical clarity) depending on the polymer and formulation.
 • Manufacturing processes can add features directly into the part (bosses, ribs, textures, labels), reducing assembly steps.