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How Moisture in Monsoon Affects Plastic Industry

Plastic Industry

How Moisture in Monsoon Affects Plastic Industry

The monsoon months of June, July and August in India are a boon as well as a bane for the nation. It helps our agriculture industry, provides relief from the intolerable heat and also fills our hearts with positivity. At the same time, there are problems like waterlogging and floods, traffic jams, long term damage to property as well as roads and trains.

how moisture affects plastic industry

While the nation faces these problems, plastic industry also bears the brunt of the monsoon as moisture is detrimental to the plastics production.  Most plastic polymers are hygroscopic and are capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere depending on both the chemistry of the product as well as the atmospheric conditions. Some products like PPE can hold 0.07% moisture while others like nylon can absorb as high as 8-9% water. This hygroscopic property of most commercial polymers can cause defects such as splay or silver streaking or surface bubbles or water waves resulting in poor surface appearance. While this is only a cosmetic problem, some products that are highly hygroscopic may even undergo hydrolysis in the presence of moisture with the resultant loss of mechanical properties and the polymer might degrade at the manufacturing unit.

Hence everyone involved in the plastic industry must follow the following precautions in the monsoon season

Make arrangements to keep the inside of the factory moisture free

Keep equipment like resin dryers, vacuum or compressed air drying.

Make all raw materials storage spaces waterproof

Take adequate precaution for transport of materials with three levels of protection against the rains

Educate all their staff and workers regarding both the importance as well as the methods of keeping all products dry

The use of proper temperature during processing keeping in mind the atmospheric humidity as well as the polymer characteristics.

Ensuring the use of the right combination of products in an optimum environment

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plastic industry
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