Why my life is spinning around plastics and why they are so important

Plastics help us to protect the environment by reducing waste, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and saving energy at home, at work, and on the road. Plastic insulation, sealants, and other building products are making our homes significantly more energy efficient, while reducing costs for heating and cooling.

There are many ways to use plastics

Most modern plastics are based on organic chemicals that offer manufacturers a huge range of physical properties that is still growing today. There was a time when anything made of plastics was considered to be of inferior quality, but those days are past. You are probably wearing plastics right now, maybe a polyester mix garment or even glasses or a watch with plastic components. The versatility of plastic materials comes from the ability to mold, laminate or shape them and to tailor them physically and chemically.

 

Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and crude oil through a polymerisation or polycondensation process. ... In a polymerisation reactor, monomers such as ethylene and propylene are linked together to form long polymer chains.

We can find plastics everywhere...

...my computer, your pen, my phone - a plastic is any material that can be shaped or moulded into any form. Some are naturally occurring but most are manmade like the polycarbonate (PC) used to make my Machine Studio which helps me to create my music. Laminated polycarbonate is made by layering polycarbonate, a heavy-duty clear plastic, between two sheets of glass and laminating it all together. It can be ¾”, 1” or 1-1/4” thick depending on the level of protection required. Polycarbonate is a tough, transparent thermoplastic with excellent impact and heat resistance. ... Bullet Resistant Polycarbonate is used as an alternative to bulletproof glass.

My mobile phone case

The vast majority of cellphone cases are made of plastics. The most common plastic used in cellphone cases is polycarbonate, an extremely hard plastic. Another type of commonly used plastic is polyurethane, a plastic that can be hard or soft depending on how it is manufactured.
So, what material is best for a phone case? For a baseline level of protection, choose a case made of a shock-absorbent material (like silicone or rubber) that covers your phone's vulnerable corners. Shoman advises smartphone owners against plastic cases, which do not effectively absorb shock and are likelier to translate the impact onto the device itself.

How do you make plastics?

Plastics are made from natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and crude oil through a polymerisation or polycondensation process. Plastics are derived from natural, organic materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt and, of course, crude oil.

Who invented plastics?

Over the last 50 years plastics have saturated our world and changed the way that we live. The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who was inspired by a New York firm's offer of $10,000 for anyone who could provide a substitute for ivory.

Why create plastics?

Plastics can protect the natural world from the destructive forces of human need. The creation of new materials also helped free people from the social and economic constraints imposed by the scarcity of natural resources. Inexpensive celluloid made material wealth more widespread and obtainable.

How the vinyl record is made...

'First, a master recording is made, usually in a studio where engineers perfect the recorded sound. Stampers are just negative versions of the original recording that will be used to make the actual vinyl records. Next, the stamper is placed in a hydraulic press, and vinyl is sandwiched in between. Vinyl is short for polyvinyl, or a polymer of vinyl chloride.

Music On Vinyl is a vinyl only record label that releases high quality 180g LP and 7" vinyl pressings of titles licensed from a wide range of record companies and artists who control their own repertoire.

You can create your own custom vinyl record. Vinylify makes personalized vinyl records on demand. You decide what music you want on your record and create your own cover art. They will then 'take care of the rest' and deliver the record to your door so you can start spinning. Records are recorded onto a master, and then pressed into vinyl. Record players have a stylus, usually made from diamond or sapphire, which is attached to a tone arm (the thing you pick up and move to start playing a record). Many record collectors say the sound is much "warmer" than digital music.

Why vinyl sounds better

Vinyl sounds better than MP3s ever could. Most music is broadcast where details are missed and the overall quality is reduced. It happens because audio files get compressed to make them small enough to store thousands of them on the phone, and to stream online.

Because of dust in the grooves, vinyl tends to produce a fair amount of static electricity and this is picked up by the cartridge and then amplified by the phono preamplifier. The stylus in the grooves of the record picks up these bumps which are amplified and you can hear this as it pops and crackles.

What's so special about vinyl?

Audiophiles will claim that vinyl has a warmer sound, but most people cannot tell the difference. Vinyl record covers are easier to read than CD covers because they are so much bigger. Vinyl records can be special if they were the first way you heard music in your formative years.

Why does vinyl sound warmer?

The reason your Vinyl sounds warmer is due to the analog format of the record. A record contains more information due to the analog format, which improves your listening experience. While the lack of compression improves and enhances your listening experience, vinyl also sounds warmer due to the continuous signal.

Why white vinyl labels?

White label records are vinyl records with plain white labels attached. There are several variations each with a different purpose. Variations include test pressings, white label promos, and plain white labels. Today, white labels discs are commonly used to promote new artists or upcoming albums by veteran artists. White BOPP labels are our the most commonly used material and is suitable for most applications. White BOPP labels are made with polypropylene and have a permanent adhesive.

And finally...does coloured vinyl sound different?

Yes, coloured vinyl always sounds worse! They are not pressed with the same well-formulated vinyl but as much as possible is done to regulate this and have it sounding as good as it can.

William Hernandez Abreu

Gallery Technician, TheGallery.