Can someone help me find how plastic is made? From the source to the end product?

[Space Lynx]

I have been interested in this topic for many years, when I research it I find pictures of semi-trucks with like tiny little plastic beads in them, but I think that is recycled plastic, I am not interested in that.

I know most plastic is made from oil/coal byrpoduct, ok that is great, but what is the transformation of that into plastic? What does it look like? Is there a picture by picture diagram or a video anyone knows of that shows how it is done at each step of the way? Each time I watch a youtube video on this its always skipping the original source part, like the initial transition (the coal/oil byproduct itself, what does it look like, what is the machine it goes into, what does the machine do to make the plastic)...

I just find this fascinating that it is so hard to find this information (or I just suck at researching). It's such a vital part of our life... and we don't even really know how it is done... I mean we all have a general idea, ok thats great, but seriously how is it done? Pictures and videos or simple layman explanations only please, I don't was to read a grad school thesis on it...

Disclosure: this is not for any sort of research project or anything that will benefit me, I just am genuinely curious and have been for many years about this.

side note: i don't want to know about recycled anything. I want to only know about how is plastic made from start to finish.

also, for that matter how is aluminum done? like I want to see a video, of how aluminum is mined, then the trucks that take the aluminum to the factory, how does that ore get turned into to the chip bag or the can I am now drinking from?! Like some documentaries show the basics of the supply chain but they never show you the explicit details... I want to know how it all works, its fascinating - also it may help me answer some of my own questions about sustainability.

@FordGT90Concept @lexluthermiester @Andy Shiekh any input welcome

 

[bug]

I'm not sure you'll find pictures or videos, the process itself is rather short and non-photogenic.

Crude oil is broken down into "fractions". One of the fractions is naphtha. Naphtha plus plus catalysts polymerizes into plastics. That's why plastics are everywhere: besides their desirable properties, they're cheap and damn easy to make.

 

[Space Lynx]

I'm not sure you'll find pictures or videos, the process itself is rather short and non-photogenic.

Crude oil is broken down into "fractions". One of the fractions is naphtha. Naphtha plus plus catalysts polymerizes into plastics. That's why plastics are everywhere: besides their desirable properties, they're cheap and damn easy to make.

that's a shame no pictures or videos, especially if it really is that simple. and then the plastic is easy to shape and mold just like old style metallurgy using molds (cast iron historically) to mass produce something I guess?

 

[bug]

that's a shame no pictures or videos, especially if it really is that simple. and then the plastic is easy to shape and mold just like old style metallurgy using molds (cast iron historically) to mass produce something I guess?

There are many kinds of plastics each with their own properties.
When we did some polymerization is the lab, it was done in a liquid filled vessel. The thing that came out hardened when it soaked up, iirc. But yes, they're usually ductile when warmed up.

 

[Deleted member 202104]

A good read on injection molding with pics and vids:

Injection moulding - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[lexluthermiester]

I'm not sure you'll find pictures or videos, the process itself is rather short and non-photogenic.

Crude oil is broken down into "fractions". One of the fractions is naphtha. Naphtha plus plus catalysts polymerizes into plastics. That's why plastics are everywhere: besides their desirable properties, they're cheap and damn easy to make.

This about covers it. The chemistry for different plastics varies depending on the properties you want in the final material, but generally plastic is easily made.

 

[Frick]

For both plastics and aluminium you need to know some chemistry. Wikipedia is a good starting point on both.

Aluminium is quite rare as a raw material, despite it being a very common element and requires electrolyzation (among other things) in order to become aluminium the metal and not bauxite.

 

[Space Lynx]

A good read on injection molding with pics and vids:

Injection moulding - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So whoever makes these plastic making machines controls the world? jk lol but yes at least finally some pics... hmm interesting.

This about covers it. The chemistry for different plastics varies depending on the properties you want in the final material, but generally plastic is easily made.

I'd still like to see the coal/oil processing part, like that really interests me its so hard to find pictures of it, I guess I just find it difficult imagining in my mindseye coal/oil becoming this little ziploc bag my sandwich sits in, lol its so weird to think about

For both plastics and aluminium you need to know some chemistry. Wikipedia is a good starting point on both.

Aluminium is quite rare as a raw material, despite it being a very common element and requires electrolyzation (among other things) in order to become aluminium the metal and not bauxite.

I wonder if our grandkids will never know what a 12oz aluminum can is... we might live in a golden age of convenience and not even know it... lol

 

[sam_86314]

Found this video from an Austrian petrochemical company.

No photos, but it does seem to go into a decent amount of detail on the process. Even talks about other petroleum products.

You might want to look into petrochemistry as a whole, which is what this entire process is called.

Cracking is the main part of the process that actually turns petroleum distillates into the end products, including plastics.

Cracking (chemistry) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[newtekie1]

Nile Red does a good video on making Nylon Plastic on a small scale, going through the chemistry and steps.

 

[Space Lynx]

Nile Red does a good video on making Nylon Plastic on a small scale, going through the chemistry and steps.

Thanks giving it a watch now with my lunch

one reason I made this topic is because someone on this forum (I forget who) linked me this article below, and it got me thinking about Socrates, and asking the question 'How do we know what we think we know?' so yeah very interesting stuff here.

How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

An NPR and PBS Frontline investigation reveals how the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale.

www.npr.org

 

[bug]

Thanks giving it a watch now with my lunch

one reason I made this topic is because someone on this forum (I forget who) linked me this article below, and it got me thinking about Socrates, and asking the question 'How do we know what we think we know?' so yeah very interesting stuff here.

How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled

An NPR and PBS Frontline investigation reveals how the oil and gas industry used the promise of recycling to sell more plastic, even when they knew it would never work on a large scale.

www.npr.org

Honestly, that title screams click bait. I mean, if you're seriously looking to find out whether plastic can be recycled or nor, you're not going to ask big oil.
But since it got you asking questions, I suppose that's the silver lining.

 

[Ivan Bliminse]

 

[Space Lynx]

something like this is exactly what i was looking for, a dummy's guide to understand it.

oil is expected to run out in 150 years right? so we really do live in a golden age of convenience... we fucked in 150 years though

Honestly, that title screams click bait. I mean, if you're seriously looking to find out whether plastic can be recycled or nor, you're not going to ask big oil.
But since it got you asking questions, I suppose that's the silver lining.

I am aware of the article title, but I did read all of it, and it is a surprisingly well researched article, sometimes even bad titles can be good reads.

 

[Deleted member 74752]

There are many in the industry that believe oil is not derived from rotting bio matter over millions of years. They instead think the planet is generating it from within...interesting concept. Like Sheldon of "The Big Bang Theory" when he is quizzed on Noah's fantastical zoo boat story lol...it just doesnt seem plausible that there could be that much bio matter.

 

[Space Lynx]

There are many in the industry that believe oil is not derived from rotting bio matter over millions of years. They instead think the planet is generating it from within...interesting concept. Like Sheldon of "The Big Bang Theory" when he is quizzed on Noah's fantastical zoo boat story lol...it just doesnt seem plausible that there could be that much bio matter.

even if you are correct, and lets say there is plenty to go around for thousands of years, we def need to figure out a diff way of doing it... i mean you can see the pacific ocean plastic pollution from outer space ffs... plastic has killed so many birds and fish, or made them super unhealthy for us to eat (and we prob eat them without knowing it sometimes too), ecological systems getting destroyed, the ripple effects of that, and so on and so forth.

 

[R-T-B]

oil is expected to run out in 150 years right?

Not completely run out, but become economically unviable. Bell curves, and all that.

it just doesnt seem plausible that there could be that much bio matter.

I sure as heck don't see why not. Look around us now. Keep in mind, geologically ancient times had HIGHER atmospheric density levels than we have now. ie more energy for many forms of life.

And guess what? Everything that lives, at some point, it dies. And sits. Underground. A long time.

They instead think the planet is generating it from within...interesting concept.

This however I find pretty fantastical and hard to buy.

 

[Space Lynx]

And guess what? Everything that lives, at some point, it dies. And sits. Underground. A long time.

yeah that combined with its very hard for the human brain to contemplate 2000 years of history, let alone 100 million, 2 billion, these numbers are just impossible for the human brain to really truly understand. we can try all we want, and even have a general idea of it, but yeah

 

[lexluthermiester]

There are many in the industry that believe oil is not derived from rotting bio matter over millions of years. They instead think the planet is generating it from within...interesting concept.

This is true. Oil is not a "fossil fuel". It is generated as a result of geological reactions from magma formations. Earth itself is creating Oil & Natual Gas. In contrast, coal actually is a fossil fuel.

its very hard for the human brain to contemplate 2000 years of history, let alone 100 million, 2 billion, these numbers are just impossible for the human brain to really truly understand.

Not at all. Just requires context & understanding. For example I have no problems whatsoever understanding the history of humanity, the Earth & Solar System and even the Universe. I can picture it all clearly and accurately in my mind. Not everyone can. And the ability or inability too is not an indicator of level of intelligence, only the abilities and talents of the individual in question. Not everyone has the same abilities and talents.

 

[Deleted member 74752]

This is true. Oil is not a "fossil fuel". It is generated as a result of geological reactions from magma formations. Earth itself is creating Oil & Natual Gas. In contrast, coal actually is a fossil fuel.

I have read that the general reasoning has always been the presence of "bio markers" present in oil. Abiotic contends these markers are simply organisms that feed on oil as it migrates closer to the surface.

If it is true that oil is projected to run out in 47 years then why the hell is there not a huge push towards nuclear power. We can do without a lot of things, but electricity is not one of them. Solar and wind can assist I know, but these are just minor players in my mind...not enough for the long haul so to speak.

 

[Shrek]

Oil is not a "fossil fuel". It is generated as a result of geological reactions from magma formations. Earth itself is creating Oil & Natual Gas.

Do you have a reference to support this claim?

 

[bug]

Do you have a reference to support this claim?

Natural gas is pretty obvious: farmers don't harvest all the beans, some fall down and into the ground.
Oil, I can't explain.

 

[Deleted member 74752]

This however I find pretty fantastical and hard to buy.

As fantastical as Noah's zoo boat?

 

[R-T-B]

As fantastical as Noah's zoo boat?

Actually in the neighborhood, but admitedly it looses to that one.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Do you have a reference to support this claim?

Abiogenic petroleum origin - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org