Over the years, various plastic resins with typical names and properties have gained popularity and SAN is one of them. It stands for Styrene Acrylonitrile resin, which is a copolymer of acrylonitrile and styrene, and has a large variety of end uses. These resins mainly compete with plastic resins like polystyrene, acrylics, and polyvinyl chloride when it comes to their machining and wide utility. They are commonly injection molded or shaped via extrusion. What makes this plastic resin popular? What are the applications of these resins? Read this post to know more.
SAN Resins and Their Composition
SAN polymers is one of the oldest styrene polymers used today. It has been used since the 1940s, and is preferred over polystyrene owing to its toughness. This plastic resin has inspired ABS Plastic, which is why it is also known as the predecessor of the same.
The SAN copolymer comprises 70%-80% styrene and 20%-30% acrylonitrile. The material has a glass transition temperature of 100 degrees Celsius and above. The resin is chemically represented as (C8H8)n-(C3H3N)m.
A Few Good Reasons That Account for the Popularity of SAN Resins
Initially, these resins were expensive, thus, reserved for only high-end applications. Over the years, they became cheaper and have gained immense popularity across industries owing to the following reasons.
- Styrene Acrylonitrile possesses excellent stiffness and rigidity, owing to its chemical composition. This is why is are widely used in applications that demand rigidity and stiffness such as wind bobbins for the electrical engineering industry.
- The material offers good heat resistance and can withstand temperatures up to 55 degrees Celsius.
- The acrylonitrile compound present in this resin improves its viscosity and chemical resistance. It can resist dilute bases, acids, and fats.
- Styrene Acrylonitrile resins are transparent in comparison to other styrene variants, which is why they are used for making transparent parts. They assure high transmittance of about 90% and can be easily colored.
- This resin can withstand grease, stress cracking, and can be easily machined.
- It is resistant to stains and is used in various kitchenware products.
- The plastic offers excellent flexural strength, dimensional stability, and load-bearing capacity.
Industrial Applications of SAN Resins
SAN resins are widely used for making various types of industrial and commercial application products. The following are a few common industrial applications that make use of these resins.
- Commercial Products: SAN resins are widely used for making containers for cosmetics and personal care products like toothbrushes and other makeup brushes. The resin is also used for making cups, trays, covers, containers, cassette cases, juicers, and mixers, disposable lighters, hangers, door knobs, and so on. SAN is also used for creating coffee filters, tableware, cutlery, and so on, and several transparent parts.
- Offices: Do you know several plastic products that you see in your office is made of SAN? They include lamps, instruments, printers, and calculators. Sometimes, they also include applications such as winding cores, battery housings, pencil cases, drawing equipment, and so on.
- Medical Devices: SAN also finds application in the medical industry, where it is used for making products such as medical light diffusers, autoclavable devices, and so on.
- Electronic Enclosures: Owing to its durability and resistance to electric shocks, the plastic is largely used for making electronic enclosures such as telephone components, battery housings, meter covers, and impellers for air conditioners.
As said before, owing to several beneficial characteristics, this plastic resin is always in demand. It is easy to find them with different plastic suppliers and brokers; however, Mid Continent Plastics stands tall among them. The company has been providing clear SAN resins in various quantities and packaging to its clients across industries. Over the years, Mid Continent Plastics has built a long list of happy and satisfied clients due to its ability to exceed their expectations. It doesn’t matter whether you want to monetize the excess resin that you own or wish to buy it for your production, Mid Continent Plastics can help you in both situations.
Related Post-
- Detailed Discussion on Different Types of Plastic Resins Offered by Mid Continent Plastics
- Factor Consideration When Selecting Plastic Resins for Injection Molding
