The fundamental difference between plastics and rubber lies in the deformation behavior: plastics undergo plastic deformation when shaped, whereas rubber exhibits elastic deformation. In other words, plastics are not easily restored to their original shape after deformation, whereas rubber is much more forgiving. Plastics have a low elasticity, typically less than 100, while rubber can reach 1,000 or even higher. Most plastic molding processes are complete once the shaping is done, and the product is finished; however, rubber molding requires a vulcanization process after shaping.
Plastics and rubbers are both high polymers primarily composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms, with some containing trace amounts of oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, silicon, fluorine, and sulfur atoms. They possess unique properties and are used in specific applications. In room temperature, plastics are solid and rigid, unable to be stretched or deformed. In contrast, rubbers are not as hard, exhibit elasticity, can be stretched to lengthen, and return to their original shape upon stopping the stretch. This difference is due to their distinct molecular structures. Another distinction is that plastics can be recycled and reused multiple times, whereas rubbers cannot be recycled directly and must be processed into reground rubber before use. The physical states of plastics at temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius are similar to those of rubbers at temperatures between 60 to 100 degrees Celsius. Plastics do not include rubbers.
