Paint ABS plastic – As we started to look around us, to find solutions and help build various substances, we discovered several things. When we say discovered, we mean that they’re already present in nature, and we just discovered a way of using it.
There were several materials that were invented too, and these inventions helped in various processes. These materials provided a much better way to construct elements, appliances, and even be used in architecture.
Plastic is one of the best inventions of humankind, due to its usage, and it’s properties.
Apart from the non biodegradable part of plastic, and how it causes pollution, plastic is a good construction material. If we somehow managed to find a solution where we can dispose of plastic or use plastic in such a way that it won’t harm our environment, plastic would become one of the most usable things on the planet.
Plastic is present in two forms mainly thermosetting and thermoplastic. Thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers were sold by many companies and ABS is a good example.
There is a lot of stigma around painting ABS plastic, due to the fact that it slips off. Let us look into this matter in detail, in this article.
Questions regarding painting of ABS plastic:-
What is ABS plastic?
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene or ABS is one of the best plastics to be ever created. It can be produced with low engineering efforts and is inexpensive. There is also a possibility of changing the material, shape and structure of ABS plastic, as it changes easily.
You must have heard about ABS plastics in the food industry, as it is one of the many plastics that can be used with food, or in the food process. If you want to check out how ABS plastics looks, or how hard it is, just ask your child to hand you a Lego. Legos are made up of ABS plastic, and that’s why they are so durable.
ABS plastic is also chemical and stress resistant, and this means that it is chemically inert. Therefore, it makes great containers for holding hard chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, hydrogen sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and chlorosal sulfate.
ABS plastic is also stress resistant, which means that it can be used in construction as well. It can hold up to 50 to 56 kg of weight by 5 to 7 grams of plastic. This is more than enough to build construction materials, and if you want to test it out, try to stand on a Lego.
ABS plastic can be molded with the help of heat, and the substance can even stick to other plastics by forming bonds of polymers. Resinous substances are produced with ABS plastic, and they are either opaque or transparent.
Transparent resins are then mixed with different colors to produce plastics of various colors. ABS plastic is completely waterproof and fireproof, however temperatures as high as 700° or 900° celsius can melt the material entirely.
What are the advantages and applications of ABS plastic?
There are several advantages of ABS plastic, and I will try to segregate them on the basis of their usability. The first and the most amazing property of ABS is that it is safe for us to use ABS plastic in food processing materials, as this is the only plastic that does not leach out in food materials.
It is completely stress and chemical resistant, which means that it can be pounded by a hammer, and yet it would not lose its shape. It can even be used to store harmful chemicals.
It is also easy to produce and sticks easily with other ABS plastics. It has excellent electrical properties as well, and since plastic is a very bad conductor of electricity, ABS plastic is used to make coatings of wires. ABS plastic is also very durable, and the best advantage of ABS plastic is that it is recyclable.
There are many applications of ABS plastic as well, and the first one would be that it is used in food processing industries. If we talk about large containers that are made to store food, ABS plastic is the number one choice.
ABS plastic is also using construction materials, like in coverings and roofings. It is also used to make prototypes of various materials, and can also be used for 3D printing. It has a variety of purpose.in plumbing as well, and majority of pipes are made up of ABS plastic today. Even protective bumpers of cars, bikes and other vehicles are made up of ABS plastic.
Can you paint ABS plastic?
This question has been asked so many times on Google, and there are a variety of opinions regarding the same. However if you ask me, I would say that it is better to paint ABS plastic than any other plastic. Regarding the advantages and applications of ABS plastic, look at the answer above.
However, what if all the advantages and applications do not correlate with each other? This could happen in terms of plastic. This is because plastic is a polymer, and polymers are destroyed in the presence of UV light.
The ultraviolet radiation from the sun acts as a catalyst in breaking down styrofoam-based polymers. They degrade very easily in sunlight, and a simple layer of paint can help protect plastics. I recommend that you use a solvent-based paint, as it would stick with the plastic easily.
How to paint ABS plastic?
There are a lot of ways on YouTube where you can learn how to paint ABS plastic, but the best way is to go in three simple steps. While painting ABS plastics, one thing you should understand is the fact that you should select a paint which is solvent based and not a primer.
It may be okay on other plastics, but they degrade ABS plastics. The first step is to make sure that your plastic is clean. Take a small dish and pour in some liquid soap. Get a sponge and rub the surface of the ABS plastic as much as you can to scrape off any amount of dirt present on the surface.
Now, try to let it air dry for hours until it is completely dry, and wipe it off with a.paper towel. You can even use a blow dryer to dry the plastic. Once it is dry, you can get a sand paper and start up abrading the material.
It is not recommended to scratch the surface of the ABS plastic, but it is better to get the surface uneven, as it would help the paint to stick better. Now paint it with a solvent based paint, and let it dry completely before use.