69 Contextual Research – Plastic
21-11-2023
21-11-2023
Our group was given the topic of the USE Of Plastics – we were asked to analyse the Good Use and Bad Use of plastics, and to research some literature or works to support our conclusions and thoughts.（Cong Wei, Yiming Cheng, Feiyan Hu, Yiling Zhang, Jieyi Chen)
We decided to first organise the development of the use of plastics and make a rough timeline. We collected six techniques and methods of using plastics and divided them into four segments to analyse them. In the process of collating this, we found that there are good and bad aspects when using any type of plastic.
Overall plastics are lightweight, durable, cost-effective and chemically stable. However, they can also have a negative impact on the environment and resources. We have based the development of plastics broadly into thermoplastics and thermosets, recyclable, 3D printing, and new bioplastics.
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVNRASoQE=/
We decided to first organise the development of the use of plastics and make a rough timeline. We collected six techniques and methods of using plastics and divided them into four segments to analyse them. In the process of collating this, we found that there are good and bad aspects when using any type of plastic.
Overall plastics are lightweight, durable, cost-effective and chemically stable. However, they can also have a negative impact on the environment and resources. We have based the development of plastics broadly into thermoplastics and thermosets, recyclable, 3D printing, and new bioplastics.
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVNRASoQE=/
Part 1 Thermosetting Plastic and New Thermoplastic
Thermoplastic materials are highly malleable, can suit most design needs, and can be reprocessed. However, thermoplastics are sensitive to temperature and easily deformed by heat. Thermoset plastics have good resistance to high temperatures and are more stable in shape. However, it is worth noting that higher temperatures and stronger pressures are required when using thermoset plastics to make products, and models made from thermoset plastics cannot be easily modified twice.
part 2: 3D Printing and Plastic Recycling (material)
The plastic used in 3D printing can help designers produce models with complex shapes and can help produce special models according to the designer’s sketches and drawings. Compare with traditional producing methods, it can reduce material waste. However, 3D printing is slower to produce and has certain requirements for the structure of the models.
Recyclable plastic is a favoured material by many designers. It is environmentally friendly and helps reduce pollution from plastics. The raw materials for recyclable plastics are also easier to find than regular plastics.
https://www.gp-award.com/en/produkte/the-minimono-project
Part 3: Plastic recycling (technical) and Bio-Plastic
New bio-plastics have some similarities with recyclable plastics. They are not environmentally damaging and are bio-degradable, which is very helpful in reducing the reliance on non-renewable resources for products. However, due to the immaturity of the technology, the high cost of production and the high failure rate of the products, they have not been widely promoted and utilised in mass production.
It is worth mentioning that even though we collected information and examples of recyclable plastics in the GOOD USE section, the fact that these plastics are difficult or impossible to degrade, and therefore artists and designers recycle them and use them in their works, we believe that this kind of behaviour belongs to the GOOD USE section.
It is worth mentioning that even though we collected information and examples of recyclable plastics in the GOOD USE section, the fact that these plastics are difficult or impossible to degrade, and therefore artists and designers recycle them and use them in their works, we believe that this kind of behaviour belongs to the GOOD USE section.
Part 4: Smart Biobased Plastic
Some information and summaries in Chinese：
