At what temperature does plastic melt?

Plastic melts when you heat it to a certain temperature. It softens when you heat it and its shape also changes. However, how this process happens depends on the type of plastic you use. Some plastics soften when you heat them, while others become liquid when you heat them.

Like steel, there are numerous plastics, each with different properties and melting points. A kettle made of plastic is therefore designed to avoid melting when water boils in it at 100°C. Typically, kettles are made of polypropylene, or PP. PP has a melting temperature of 160°C, meaning it starts to melt around 130°C. More than enough for a kettle!

Below is the information of the different melting points of some types of plastics

Polyethylene or LDPE & HDPE

Polyethylene (PE) is a soft polymer that occurs in the two main types LDPE & HDPE. At higher temperatures, this plastic loses its rigidity and starts to melt. LDPE starts melting as early as 105°C and HDPE starts melting at 125°C. Polyethylene is used to manufacture packaging films, bags and sheets, among other things. For more information on the manufacture of LDPEfilm or HDPE-film? Then take contact with us!

Polypropylene

Polypropylene (PP) is a slightly harder and stiffer plastic than HDPE (PE), it therefore has a higher melting point of 165°C. Polypropylene is a type of plastic that loses its properties faster at lower temperatures. It is therefore used for coffee cups, plastic tableware and durable household items.

Polystyrene

Polystyrene (PS) is a hard polymer used to manufacture the well-known Styrofoam. This plastic does not require a high melting point and therefore melts at around 90°C.

Polyamide

Polyamide (PA) is also popularly known as nylon. Polyamides have a fairly high melting point of 200°C. Polyamide's only disadvantage is that it is weakened by water. Therefore, due to its fabric nature, polyamide is often used in the manufacture of clothing.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

PVC is a well-known type of plastic, it has many applications such as sewage, flooring, parts in the medical world, insulation and many more. As PVC is widely used in industry, it must be very strong but also have a high melting point. PVC therefore has a melting point of around 210°C.

Mixing plastics with other plastics

When types of plastics are mixed with impurities or other applications (think of using recycled material or when different plastics are mixed), the plastic may lose its properties and become weaker. Also, the melting point of the mixed plastic be lower. However, it depends on the amount of impurities how much the plastic loses its properties and how much lower the melting point is afterwards.