A thermoplastic is a plastic that softens when heated and hardens again when cooled. Thermoplastics can generally go through many melt/freeze cycles with no appreciable chemical change, making them suitable for recycling. These characteristics also lend thermoplastics to various manufacturing techniques; injection molding, thermoforming and welding.

Many thermoplastic materials are addition polymers (chain growth polymers), such as polythene and polypropylene.

Thermoplastic Polymers are contrasted with thermosetting polymers, which cannot go through melt/freeze cycles.

A partial list of thermoplastics:

• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Polypropylene
• Polyethylene
• Acrylic
• Celluloid
• Polystyrene
• Cellulose acetate
• Ethylene vinyl alcohol , (E/VAL).
• Fluoroplastics , (PTFE), (FEP, PFA, CTFE, ECTFE, ETFE).
• Ionomer .
• Liquid Crystal Polymer , (LCP).
• Polyacetal , (Acetal).
• Polyacrylates, (Acrylic).
• Polyacrylonitrile, (PAN), (Acrylonitrile).
• Polyamide, (PA), (Nylon).
• Polyamide-imide, (PAI).
• Polyaryletherketone , (PAEK), (Ketone).
• Polybutadiene , (PBD).
• Polybutylene , (PB).
• Polybutylene teraphthalate , (PBT).
• Polycarbonate, (PC).
• Polyektone , (PK).
• Polyester.
• Polyetheretherketone, (PEEK).
• Polyetherimide , (PEI).
• Polyethersulfone , (PES).
• Polyethylenechlorinates , (PEC).
• Polyimide, (PI).
• Polymethylpentene , (PMP).
• Polyphenylene Oxide , (PPO).
• Polyphenylene Sulfide , (PPS).
• Polyphthalamide , (PTA).
• Polysulfone , (PSU).
• Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene , (ABS).

See also

• Thermosetting plastic