Since there are tons of plastic bottles available in the market, the huge variety makes it much more difficult to buy the best one according to your need. They come in different sizes and shapes, with each having its own set of unique features. If you want to know about all the different things that need to be considered in order to make the best choice, read on.
What are Plastic Bottles?
A plastic container is a jar built from high-density or low-density plastic. Plastic containers are regularly used to store fluids, such as water, sodas, engine oil, cooking oil, medication, cleanser, milk, and ink.
The size of these units varies from extremely little containers to huge carboys. These containers may have handles molded or are shaped to facilitate grip. The greatest advantage of plastic jars over glass containers is that they offer protection from breakage during the manufacturing process and transportation.
How are they made?
Plastic container manufacturing happens in multiples stages. Commonly, the plastic jugs used to hold consumable water and different beverages are produced using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) since the material is both solid and light.
Polyethylene (PE) features high-thickness, which is why it is utilized for making unbending plastic containers, such as cleanser bottles and squeezing bottles. Polypropylene (PP) is utilized for pill bottles and so forth.
Polycarbonate (PC) is utilized for refillable water bottles and similar reusable containers. To understand the manufacturing procedure, it is useful to initially understand the compositions of PET, PE, PP, and PC and how these materials affect the making of plastic bottles.
The process
The main phase of a regular 2-stage isbm bottles Reheat and Blow Machine (RBM) bottle producing process is known as injection shaping. Plastic pellets are plasticized in the barrel of an injection forming machine where the plastic is softened by heat. The plastic is then infused into multiple cavity molds where it assumes the shape of long, thin tubes.
When the bottle (or, in consistent manufacturing, bottles) has cooled down and got into a certain shape, it is removed from the mold. The plastic bottles are then prepared for transportation or filling.
Types of Plastic Materials Used
Before you go ahead and make a choice, we suggest that you consider types of materials used for the making of plastic bottles. Given below are some of the common materials that manufacturers use for this purpose.
PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
Polyethylene Terephthalate is a thermoplastic polymer that can be either opaque or transparent depending upon the material composition. Likewise, with most plastics, PET is created from petroleum hydrocarbons. To produce plastic jars, the PET is first polymerized to make long molecular chains.
When the plastic itself has been made, the bottle manufacturing procedure can start. To guarantee that the PET is appropriate for use, various tests are done post-manufacturing to ensure that the containers are impermeable via carbon dioxide.
Apart from this, different variables like transparency, shine, shatter resistance, thickness, and pressure resistance, are also monitored.
Low- and High-Density Polyethylene
Another thermoplastic, polyethylene is utilized for assembling blow-molded milk and water containers, cleanser bottles, ketchup bottles, and so on. Both LDPE and HDPE can be thermoformed, blow-formed, infusion shaped, and so forth. HDPE is utilized for some types of plastic jars, given that it has higher rigidity.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a typically opaque, low-density polymer with excellent thermoforming. For bottles, it competes very well against polyethylene and can be made see-through for transparent applications. Polypropylene cannot match the optical clarity of polymers, for example, polycarbonate. However, it does a great job.
Polycarbonate
It is an expensive material compared with other jug making polymers. So, the application of this material is restricted to very good quality reusable jugs, such as nursing bottles or those found on water coolers or in lab settings.
The material has great optical properties and quality, which makes it appropriate for bottles that must show their substance with the transparency of glass but should have the ability to cope with routine mishandling.
