Plastic
A plastic material is any that can be molded or shaped, but the term is specifically used nowadays to refer to a class of synthetic organic polymers with nearly magical properties. The heathen scientists insist that these materials are formed from chains of simpler hydrocarbons. They are named for the hydrocarbon monomers used in this chain; hence a molecule of polyethylene, used in plastic bottles, is made up of many molecules of ethylene.
Common plastics used in Transformers include:
- High-impact polystyrene (HIPS)
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
- Polyoxymethylene(POM)
- Polyamide(PA).
Most plastics in Transformers and other toys are thermoplastics, which liquefy when heated. Thermosetting plastics, an older technology, solidify when heated, and are still widely used for many purposes, but only very rarely in toys (occasionally they are found in motors).
Toys were super cool when they were mostly made of strong and awesome die-cast metal like Inferno and the tape guy with the cool voice, but later they changed to lame plastic for some stupid reason.
Stupid reasons
Plastics vary, and a plastic can be chosen with properties suitable for a particular application. Polystyrene is strong, cheap, and fairly rigid, holds paint well, and can be made transparent. Polyamide won't hold paint, but it is flexible and very tough. One of the best qualities of plastics, however, is that they can be melted at temperatures far lower than metals, and molded into intricate shapes. Plastics are science's gift to the toy industry.
See also:
