Why Acetal And Delrin Are The Same But Different Polymers

By Author: Nash Govani
Total Articles: 7
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Though they are both polymers known as polyoxymethylene, acetal and delrin are still different materials. They may be known as thermoplastic. Because of both these materials abilities to be rigid, they are both used to make a variety of precision parts. These precision parts require a certain amount of stiffness, lower fiction and excellent dimensional stability.

What types of parts are made from acetal plastics? Parts frequently machined out of acetal, including delrin, are wear strips, rollers, and bushings. These products need to be built with a certain combination of strength, dimensional stability and chemical resistance.

How is delrin different?
Delrin is a trademarked name from a major carpet manufacturer. A homopolymer, delrin has the strength, stiffness, hardness and toughness, solvent and resistance, abrasion resistance and low wear.
Acetal and acrylic sheets are more or less copolymers. This means they have a lower temperature resistance than delrin, which is a homopolymer. This means that acetal and acrylic sheets ...
... can tolerate lower temperatures and less friction resistance than delrin. This is why delrin is better suited for use in a number of automobile precision parts. This is why delrin and acetal are different, though they are both polymers.
Future uses for copolymers and homopolymers
Vision LED reading glasses may be one future use for copolymers or homopolymers. What other uses can delrin or acrylic sheets be used for the future?
As electric and hybrid cars continue to be produced, acrylic sheets may be used for instrument panels. Perhaps acrylic sheeting will continue to be used to produce better projection screens, windows for city swimming pools, acrylic transparent barriers that are used in zoos and museum displays, flood windows and acrylic glazing for artwork. Depending on the type of acrylic sheets, this material may be used in roofs, walls, or the ground.
Perhaps, the future will lead to greener methods to produce acrylic sheets. One way that is may be accomplished is by using a process known as alpha to produce the less methyl methacrylate, a key ingredient in making acrylic plastics. This may lead to less air pollution and chemicals that may produce harmful chemicals. This new process in producing acrylic products may lead to thinner eyeglass lens, better material for submarine windows and acrylic materials that are stronger, more heat resistant and able to withstand greater water pressures, if needed.