The world of polymer resins is a vast and sometimes confusing subject. But it&#;s our world, and today, we&#;ll do our best to explain and convey a basic understanding of what polymer resins are and how we use them.

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What Are Polymers?

Did you know that polymers surround you in your everyday life? Before we can understand what polymer resins are, we&#;ll begin by explaining what polymers are.

Polymers are large molecules made up of smaller, repeating units called monomers. These monomers link together in a chain-like structure, often creating complex three-dimensional networks.

That&#;s the dry part (clearly). 

The more interesting part comes when we understand that polymers are a critical component in many of our daily materials. Polymers can come as elasticity of rubber or rigidity in plastic. 

Where do we find examples of polymer use?

Household products: Furniture, toys, carpet, and even electronic devices contain instances of polymers. Clothing, in particular, uses synthetic fabrics often derived from polymers.

Packaging: In a world where our shopping drops at our doorsteps, examples of polymer use are found in diverse packaging types. And yes, we often find polymers in that fun bubbly wrap our kids (and us) really love.

Automobiles: Polymers are found in seatbelts, fuel tanks, airbags, tires, and other automobile parts. 

Construction: Polymers are used in building materials like pipes, insulation, flooring, roofing, windows, and doors. 

Medical: We often find polymer use in medical, surgical equipment. Polymers can help make sterilization processes more efficient.

There&#;s more, but to get on with our subject, we&#;ll stop there and pick back up with engineering resins use cases later.

So, What Are Resins?

We understand at a basic level what a polymer is and where we find it in our everyday lives. Now, let&#;s add in resins.

Resins can harden permanently, making them a vital component in creating a range of materials. These can be either natural or synthetic.

With natural, think plants. With synthetic, think chemical processing.

There are three broad categories for polymer resins:

Thermoplastic Resins: These resins can be repeatedly heated and cooled without harming their properties. Heating softens the resins, allowing shaping. Cooling hardens them into a shape. 

This process can be repeated, making these resins recyclable. Examples include Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Polystyrene (PS).

Thermosetting Resins: Unlike thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins undergo a chemical reaction when heated, that results in a permanent hardening. You can&#;t reverse this process. These resins are used in materials that require higher levels of durability.

Elastomers: These are a particular polymer resin type that demonstrates high elasticity. These can be stretched, but they&#;ll return to their original shapes when released. Think rubber as a use case for elastomers. If you&#;re interested in further reading, research the various methods for producing powdered rubber.

Because of their diverse properties, polymer resins have a wide range of applications. They are used extensively in manufacturing, packaging, automotive, construction, and healthcare industries.

So, Is a Resin a Polymer?

Yes, a resin in indeed a type of polymer. When we delve into the deep, complex world of materials, polymers are large molecules making up repeating structural unites that connect by covalent chemical bonds. Resins are a subset of polymers. Resins are viscous substances derived from both synthetic and natural sources. Syntehtic resins are man-made polymers at the end of the day.

Synthetic resins are often found in industrial and commercial applications, including materials such as polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and more.

Engineering Resins: The Main Course

Of course, we&#;d be remiss not to discuss thermoplastic polymers, more widely known as engineering resins. Because, of course, that&#;s our expertise. And there are many benefits to engineering resins.

Polymer resins are the broader, more high-level term, while engineering resins describe a more specific type.

Engineering resins refer to a specific group of thermoplastic polymers that exhibit superior mechanical and thermal properties compared to more common commodity plastics. These resins are commonly used in engineering applications due to their strength, temperature resistance, durability, and other unique properties.

Engineering Resin Uses

These are only a few examples of engineering resin use cases.

Industrial Equipment: Often used in bearings, gears, and other critical/moving parts found in industrial machinery. They help reduce friction and add stiffness.

Aerospace: PEEK is used in aerospace applications due to its low weight and high strength-to-weight ratio. It&#;s often found in aircraft interior components and cable insulation applications.

Automotive Industry and Engineering Resins

We touched on polymer resins used in the automotive industry at a higher level earlier. Engineering resins are used in automobiles, polyamides, or nylons, and are used in under-the-hood applications due to their ability to withstand high temperatures and harsh chemicals. Engineering resins are also used in components like radiator end tanks, air intake manifolds, and engine covers.

Engineering thermoplastics are becoming widely used in the electric vehicle revolution. This is occurring in both vehicles partially and fully leveraging the power of electricity, including in batteries and components. Using engineering thermoplastics in the EV market is significantly enhancing overall production.

ABS PC blends are widely used in engineering applications due to their balanced mechanical properties. They possess toughness and heat resistance which are both typically essential in engineering projects.

As mentioned, there are a plethora of expansive engineering resin use cases; we&#;ve only highlighted a few.

Construction Industry and Polymer Resins

Polymer resin uses have helped evolve the way we build things. From the early stages of a construction project through the very last details, using polymer resins provides thoroughly strong and durable builds. Polymer resin applications continue to help evolve construction projects at the highest, and of course, tallest, levels. Whether its innovation or safety, its influence is widespread.

Modified polymer resins often serve as binders in polymer concretes. Isophthalic polyester polymer concrete offers rapid hardening and acid resistance. Epoxy polymers are used more and more in the repair and retrofitting of concrete structures. PC/ABS offers a load capacity that helps construct gear mechanisms. The list of uses are truly endless in modern construction.

Polymer Suppliers and Why We&#;re Critical

Without polymer suppliers, the distribution of polymers, as well as quality control checks, would be a chaotic experience.

Polymer suppliers produce and distribute polymer materials, including raw polymers, polymer resins, additives, and other products. They play a crucial role in the supply chain of various industries, from plastics and rubber manufacturing to construction, automotive, medical devices, and more.

We hope our simple guide helped level-set a not only complex subject, but an extraordinary and revolutionary industry. 

Got questions? We&#;re always happy to answer them. Contact us at  or learn more about Polymer Resources here.

3 Important Questions to Ask Your Resin Supplier and Plastics Compounder

Plastic resin is one of the most commonly used raw materials in manufacturing across every industry. Today, plastic is used because it is strong, cheap (sometimes), and lightweight. But, plastic has one of the steepest carbon footprints of any raw material.

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In many cases, the additives and formulas used in a specific grade of plastic are kept secret by the plastic compounder or resin supplier. Naturally, this is done to protect the intellectual property (formula) of the compounded plastic. Secondarily, it prevents a manufacturer from shopping around to find different suppliers for the same plastic.

There&#;s no doubt that sustainable energy and sustainable materials are driving change across industries. For manufacturers that are looking to integrate sustainable materials into their supply chains, understanding what fillers and additives are in your plastic resin is a great place to start.

It is important to note that most suppliers will not provide their full formulation, which is fine. But, there are simple questions you can ask to better understand what options are available to your company to reduce the carbon footprint of your existing resins without compromising strength or cost.

The 3 Important Questions for your Resin Suppliers and Compounders

What are the main additives in the plastics I&#;m buying from you?

Here, you should be looking to understand the ingredients that are added to your resins to meet specific performance characteristics. Expect your supplier to be vague in their reply, these are secret formulas, but they will provide you with a general understanding of the material. Additives like colorants, flame retardants, and larger quantities of volume fillers and reinforcement agents are all common.

What percentage of the plastic is mineral fillers?

Most plastic additives, especially volume fillers, are mined minerals like talc and calcium carbonate. Most low-cost, commodity plastic has one of these two fillers. If there are no mineral fillers, this provides an opportunity to have more impactful cost and carbon footprint reduction.

What percentage of the plastic are natural fillers?

It&#;s doubtful that there is much in the way of natural, or bio-based filler in your current blends (unless you&#;ve asked for them specifically). Some natural fillers include hemp, cotton, wood flour, and corn husk.

By asking these three simple questions from your resin suppliers and compounders, we can gather the data needed to better optimize your product for strength, weight, price, and carbon footprint.

We guess that the answers to questions #1 and #2 are fairly easy to calculate and readily available.

Since using bio-based plastic additives is a newer practice in plastic compounding, many times the answer to question #3 will be &#;zero&#;! Don&#;t worry, many plastic compounders are not experienced in working with bio-based additives, yet. This will provide you with the largest opportunity to improve your plastics&#; carbon footprint.

Understanding these 3 questions allows everyone to better understand where there&#;s an opportunity to use bio-based additives to reduce the price, weight, and carbon footprint of plastics.

The Big Issue &#; Carbon!

The material change that&#;s happening over the next few decades is all based around one element &#; Carbon!

In a world where all the raw materials we use have a really high carbon footprint, it&#;s our responsibility to figure out how to reduce the negative impact that these materials have on the world.

There are many ways that companies can reduce their carbon footprint:

• Using renewable energy sources
• Modifying transportation routes
• Recycling programs
• Using bio-based materials

Most companies are looking at all aspects of their environmental footprint when determining what materials they want to use throughout their supply chain (manufacturing, packaging, distribution, etc).

We are seeing more corporations that are concerned about climate change and view it as their responsibility to make sure that they are doing everything in their power to offset the amount of dangerous carbon emissions they release into the environment.

The EPA says that the United States generates about 5.28 billion metric tons of CO2 per year. This contributes to global warming today.

To be clear, this is a &#;today&#; problem, not a problem.

It is up to every one of us to do our part in lowering carbon emissions, today.

Climate Change is an Issue that Requires the Attention of All Corporations and Individuals

Corporations and all the humans on earth all have a responsibility to care for our planet. Climate change is a worldwide issue that needs to be addressed and mitigated as soon as possible.

We now know that humans are having a major impact on the global carbon footprint. We know that today, carbon emissions are at an all-time high. The human species has become the #1 contributor to climate change and greenhouse gases.

The world is changing, and we need to change with it. We can&#;t just keep doing what we&#;ve been doing and expect better results. That&#;s insanity.

As the world continues to get warmer and warmer, large corporations continue to emit carbon dioxide at an alarming rate. Many of these large corporations are the largest contributors to the problem. Conversely, they are the organizations best positioned to reduce the global carbon footprint through their operations.

Every industry and raw material has a carbon footprint. Traditionally, the plastics industry has gotten a bad rap when it comes to carbon and emissions. Plastic is made of hydrocarbons that are derived from petroleum, coal, natural gas, and oil.

The production of plastic creates carbon emissions by releasing methane or nitrous oxide. Although plastics are not the sole culprits of global carbon emissions, there is a large focus on reducing the carbon requirement for the raw materials we rely upon every day.

So, how could someone create a solution for the plastics industry to help reduce its carbon footprint, today?

From our research, the easiest path to change was through carbon-negative plastic additives.

Why it&#;s Important to Know What Additives Your Suppliers are Using

Every day, we&#;re surrounded by plastics &#; plastic water bottles, plastic bags, plastic wraps, and so on. Yet, we know surprisingly little about the additives that make plastics so versatile and long-lasting.

There are literally hundreds of substances that may be added to plastics: colorants, flame retardants, plasticizers, UV stabilizers, impact modifiers, and dozens more. Many of the commonly used plastic additives are minerals like talc and calcium carbonate which have been in use for decades.

Recently, new bio-based additives have been studied to produce plastics with a reduced carbon footprint. These additives are created by using plants and other organic materials, instead of the traditional mineral and synthetic fillers that are used in plastics today. The result is plastics that use renewable resources as additives to increase performance and reduce the carbon footprint.

Why do we care about using more renewable resources for plastics? Reducing the carbon emissions of the raw materials we rely upon every day is the easiest way to start building toward a sustainable future.

Today, over 400 million tons of plastic are produced each year. That number is not going to 0 anytime soon. Today, as most people know, plastics are produced from fossil fuels. As the world continues to learn more about our health (and the health of the planet), our society will continue to move toward renewable resources.

Natural materials such as hemp, bamboo, and cotton offer a sustainable and natural alternative to traditional materials used in plastics. Over the past few decades, mineral and synthetic plastic additives like talc, calcium carbonate, and fiberglass have been found to be harmful to humans. The additives are the easiest materials to replace.

Industry experts

Industry experts say that these bio-based materials can be used in almost any application to reduce carbon footprint. When we look at all of the biomaterials that could be used as plastic additives, there&#;s one plant that stands out: industrial hemp.

• Industrial hemp is one of the best crops for carbon sequestration.
• Industrial hemp has also been known as one of the strongest natural fibers for 10,000 years
• Industrial hemp can be grown on marginal land unsuitable for other crops.
• Industrial hemp requires less fertilizer than traditional crops.
• Industrial hemp can enhance soil health by sucking up toxins and making nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich soil.
• Industrial hemp can reduce the need for synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.
• Industrial hemp can help farmers reduce water usage.
• Industrial hemp crops have been shown to increase the yields of other plants that are grown on the same acreage the following year.

As companies begin and update their LCAs (Life Cycle Assessments) they will start to look at the carbon footprint in every part of their value chain.

What are the 3 Types of Emissions Measured?

There are 3 types of emissions that are defined in the GHG Protocol:

• Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
• Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
• Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

These emissions include those from product use and disposal, as well as those from the production and distribution of products.

Here&#;s where the additives used in plastics can make an effect. By choosing bio-based additives, the carbon footprint can be reduced. This is a realistic path, today, for manufacturers that are looking to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising strength, weight, or price.

Industrial hemp is a carbon-negative material., Every 1 pound of hemp sequesters more than 2.85 pounds of carbon dioxide. A manufacturer that uses a 40% hemp-filled plastic can offset their carbon footprint by 44%, just by changing out the additive.

What Does it Mean to Manage Scope 3 Emissions?

Scope 3 Emissions are not the same as Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Scope 1 and 2 emissions happen within the organization or supply chain, while scope 3 emissions come from external sources.

Managing scope 3 emissions is about finding ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the suppliers and vendors that you rely on. Simple mandates to manage scope 3 emissions include:

• Sourcing raw materials that use at least xx% renewable content.
• Switching energy sources to solar / wind.

The energy and materials that manufacturers use objectively has a huge impact on the carbon footprint of our planet.

Sourcing sustainable materials is the easiest way to ensure that your company is taking steps in the right direction to reduce its carbon footprint.

How Do I Get Started?

This one is easy; you can contact the team at Heartland.

We have experts standing by who can help you through every step of the product development process.

• Developing the set of questions for your suppliers.
• Finding the right manufactured parts to start with.
• Understanding the impact that natural additives have on plastic.
• Procuring sample materials from Heartland&#;s proprietary blends.
• Calculating your carbon reductions from the use of our materials.

The road to reducing your carbon emissions or changing your plastic additives may seem confusing and challenging at face value. But, by committing to a simple R&D process, we can help you empower your company with the materials it needs to create a sustainable future.

Join us as we make a world out of hemp.

&#; Heartland Team

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Synthetic Polymers & Resins For Wide Industry Supplier.