Identifying Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

This document has been designed to signpost you towards identifying the Key: materials of which objects in your collection might be made. It is made for people with little or no knowledge of plastics or the manufacturing processes This indicates which materials have yet to be associated with them. eliminated.

The following materials are included: • Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ABS • Bois durci • Casein formaldehyde CF

• Cellulose acetate CA • Cellulose nitrate CN This shape indicates a question to be answered. • Hard vulcanised rubber • High density HDPE • Low density polyethylene LDPE • Melamine formaldehyde MF • Phenol formaldehyde PF Arrows show the direction you should follow. • Polyamide PA • Polycarbonate PC • Polyethylene terephthalate PET This shape indicates when the chart flows on to another • Polymethyl methacrylate PMMA page. • PP • Polystyrene PS • Polyvinyl chloride (plasticised and unplasticised) PVC • Urea formaldehyde UF This shape indicates the possible material of which you

This is by no means an exhaustive list of plastics but includes the materials object is made. It will often suggest that you consult you are likely to come across in your collections. You can find out more the website: information about the materials listed by visiting: www.modip.ac.uk/resources/curators_guide/A-Z_plastics www.modip.ac.uk/resources/curators_guide/A-Z_plastics On pages 10 & 11 you will find some short cuts and trade names which may help you identify the material.

Page 1

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• Bois durci • • PF PF (no ) • • • CF CN PC • • • UF CA PS Is it Yes, I can see • Is it • • Hard vulcanised PF (no filler) Yes, it has no PA transparent? right through it. It rubber • PC rigid? flex at all. • PMMA • PP could have colour • PS • PET • HDPE or be completely • PA • PVC • LDPE colourless. • PP • PVC • PMMA • PET • MF No. Go to No. It has some • PMMA • PVC flex. Go to point 1 point 4 on Yes, it is translucent when I hold it up to the • ABS on page 3. page 4. light. Go to point 2 on page 3. • PS • CN • CA • PC • PA • PET

• PC • PA Does it smell Does it sound • PC • PS • PS of carbolic • No tinny when No PMMA • PA acid when • PET tapped? • PMMA rubbed? • PF (no filler) • PET • PVC (unplasticised) • PF (no filler) Consult the website for • PVC common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes Yes Yes

• PS • PF (no filler)

Page 2

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• PA • PP • LDPE • CN (only in the form of a • HDPE Point 1 table tennis ball) Does it date • PVC (plasticised and No, it has a bit of • PA from after Yes unplasticised) flex. • the 1950s? PET Consult the website for • PVC (plasticised) common uses, manufacturing Consult the website for common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation • CN processes and degradation notes • CA notes • PA • PC • PP • HDPE • CA Yes • PET • LDPE No • CN • CF • PA • PMMA • PET • PP • PVC (unplasticised) • PA Consult the website for Does it feel • PS common uses, manufacturing waxy? • CA processes and degradation • CN notes • PET • PVC • CN • CA No. Go to point 3 on Does it smell • PC page 4. Point 2 Does it sound • of camphor No Yes, it is translucent tinny when No HDPE • when rubbed? when I hold it up to the tapped? LDPE light. • CF • PMMA • PP • PA • CN • PS • CA • PET • PC Yes Yes • PVC • PS • HDPE • LDPE • CF • CN • PMMA • PS • PP • PA • PET

Page 3

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• CF • PP • PA Point 3 Does it have • PET No , it does not any flex to Yes • PVC (plasticised) • PA feel waxy. the material? Consult the website for • LDPE common uses, manufacturing • HDPE processes and degradation Consult the website for • PC • PC • CF • PMMA notes common uses, manufacturing • PMMA • PA processes and degradation • PP • CA notes • PA • CN • • CA No PS • PS • PET • PET • PVC (unplasticised) Consult the website for Yes common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes • PVC • PP Is it dark in • • PC Point 4 PVC Does it feel colour? eg • • MF No, it is not Yes PP No waxy? • transparent. black, brown, • PC ABS green, red • MF • Hard vulcanised • ABS rubber • Hard vulcanised • PF • Bois durci rubber • Bois durci • PF • PF • PMMA • CF • Bois durci • PS • UF • PMMA • PA • Hard vulcanised No. Go to • PS • PET rubber point 5 on No. Go to • PA • PP • HDPE page 5. • HDPE point 7 on • LDPE • LDPE page 7. • PET • PVC

• MF • Hard vulcanised Does it have a • Hard vulcanised Yes • PMMA rubber mottled finish? rubber • ABS • PS • PF • CN • CA Does it smell • PC Yes sulphurous or No • PF • PA rubbery? • PET

Page 4

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

Does the • Hard vulcanised Does it smell Point 5 object date No, it does not Yes rubber sulphurous or Yes • Hard vulcanised from before have a • PF rubbery? rubber mottled the 1930s? • Bois durci

• PVC No. Go to • PP point 6 on • PC page 6. • MF No No • ABS • Hard vulcanised rubber • PF • PVC • PF • Bois durci • PP • Bois durci Does it sound • PMMA • PC tinny when • PS • MF tapped? • PA • ABS

• PET • PF • PMMA Does it smell of • • PS carbolic acid Yes PF • PA when rubbed? • PET Yes

• PS No

• Bois durci • PF

Page 5

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• PP • PVC (plasticised) Point 6 Does it have • PA No, it does not any flex in the Yes • PS sound tinny material? • PET when tapped. Consult the website for common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation • PVC notes • PP • PC • MF No • ABS • PVC (unplasticised) • PF • PP • PMMA • PC Does it smell of • MF • PA • PVC No • ABS • PS • PP carbolic acid • PMMA • PET • PC when rubbed? • PA • MF • PS • ABS • PET • PF • PF • PMMA Consult the website for • PA common uses, manufacturing • PS • PF • PET Yes processes and degradation

notes

Page 6

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• PA • LDPE Point 7 Does it feel • HDPE No, it is pale or Yes waxy? Consult the website for bright in colour common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes • CF • UF • PP No • HDPE • LDPE • PVC • MF Does it sound • PMMA • CF tinny when Yes • PS • ABS • UF tapped?

• PS • PP • CN • PVC • CA • MF • PC • PMMA • PA • ABS • PET • PS • CN No • CA • PC • CN • PA Does it have • CA No. Go to • PET point 8 on • CF any flex in the Yes • CF page 8. • UF material? • PVC • PP • PP • PVC • PA • MF • PET • PMMA • ABS • CN • CA No • PC • PA • PS • PET • PA • MF No. Go to • PMMA point 9 on • ABS page 9. • PVC • PP • PC • UF • PET Page 7

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• CA Point 8 Does it imitate tortoiseshell, • CN Yes, it has some flex ivory or amber or does it Yes Consult the website for to the material. have a pearlised finish? common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes • CN • CA • CF • PVC • PP No • PA • PET • CN (as ping pong balls) • CF • CN Does it date • PP • CA from after the Yes • PVC • CF 1950s? • PA • PVC • PET • PP Consult the website for • PA common uses, manufacturing • PET processes and degradation notes

No

• CN Does it smell of • CA camphor when Yes • CF rubbed? • PVC • PA • PET

• CN Consult the website for • PVC common uses, manufacturing • PP No processes and degradation • PA notes • PET • CA • CN • CF Consult the website for common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes

Page 8

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• MF Does it date • PVC Point 9 from after the Yes • ABS No, it is rigid. 1950s? • PP • PC • PMMA • PA • PA • MF • PET • PMMA Consult the website for • ABS common uses, manufacturing • PVC No • PP processes and degradation • PC notes • UF • PET • PMMA • PVC • UF • PA • PET Consult the website for common uses, manufacturing processes and degradation notes

Page 9

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

Short cut notes • Catalin = phenol formaldehyde (unfilled) • Celanese = cellulose acetate • Does it have a living hinge? – it is almost certainly polypropylene • Celluloid = cellulose nitrate • Bois durci often has a small moulded bird’s wing and / or the • Clarifoil = cellulose acetate words ‘bois durci’ • Corian = polymethyl methacrylate • Polystyrene sounds tinny when tapped • Cycolac = acrylonitrile butadiene styrene • Phenol formaldehyde can smell or carbolic acid • Darvic = unplasticised polyvinyl chloride • Polymethyl methacrylate has a dull sound when tapped • Ebena = Bois durci • Cellulose nitrate can have a smell of camphor especially noticeable • Ebonite = Hard vulcanised rubber inside lidded • Erinoid = casein formaldehyde • Cellulose acetate can have a smell of vinegar • Estron = cellulose acetate • Vulcanised rubber has a sulphurous rubbery smell • Galatith = casein formaldehyde • Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene yellows as it degrades • Gaydon = melamine formaldehyde • Polyethylene has a waxy feel • Hostalen = high density polyethylene • triangles and numbers were introduced in 1988 and the • Lacqrene = polystyrene numbers mean the following: • Lactoid = casein formaldehyde 1 = PET or PETE, 2 = HDPE, 3 = PVC, 4 = LDPE, 5 = PP, 6 = PS, • Lexan = polycarbonate 7 = other • LingaLonga = urea formaldehyde Trade names • Lucite = polymethyl methacrylate • Makrolon = polycarbonate • Alkathene = low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene • Melaware = melamine formaldehyde • Argosy = melamine formaldehyde • Melinex = polyethylene terephthalate • Bakelite = phenol formaldehyde (filled or unfilled) • Melmac = melamine formaldehyde • Bandalasta = urea formaldehyde • Melmex = melamine formaldehyde • Beatl = urea formaldehyde • Mouldrite = phenol formaldehyde (filled) • Beetle = urea formaldehyde • Mylar = polyethylene terephthalate • Bexoid = cellulose acetate • Nestorite = phenol formaldehyde (filled) • Carvacraft = phenol formaldehyde (unfilled) • Novodur = acrylonitrile butadiene styrene

Page 10

Identifying Plastics Toolkit – flow chart - Museum of Design in Plastics. www.modip.ac.uk

• Nylon = polyamide • Rigidex = high density polyethylene • Oroglas = polymethyl methacrylate • Roanoid = phenol formaldehyde (filled) • Parkesine = cellulose nitrate • Scarab = urea formaldehyde • Perspex = polymethyl methacrylate • Styron = polystyrene • Plaskon = urea formaldehyde • Tenite = cellulose acetate • Plastacele = cellulose acetate • = low density polyethylene • Plexiglass = polymethyl methacrylate • Vulcanite = hard vulcanised rubber • Polystyrol = polystyrene • Welvic = unplasticised polyvinyl chloride • Polythene = low density polyethylene or high density polyethylene • Xylonite = cellulose nitrate • Propathene = polypropylene

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