PLASTICS IDENTIFICATION FLOW CHART

PLASTIC MATERIALS

soft Press a hot soldering iron or a hot Remains hard

Thermoplastics Thermosets
rod against the sample

ALL self-extinguishing Burn a small section of the sample continues to burn

Float drop a small sample in water

Material
Unsaturated
Burn a small section of the sample melamin formaldehyde phenol formaldehyde silicone epoxy
poyester
observation
Polyoletins
yellow with blue
colour of flame Yellow with blue tip Yellow Bright yellow yellow
edges

Odur Fish like Phenol wour sinnamn None pungent amine

Burn a small section of the sample no flames continues to burn

May or maay not be black smoke with continue to
Characteristics Swells and cracks Black smoke
self-extinguishing soot burn

drip self-extinguishing
drip

YES NO YES drip

YES NO

material
Poly-
PE PP TPX TPX PTFE PVF PS HIPS SAN ABS PMMA POM Celluslosics PET PU Nylon PC PPO PVC
sulfone
observations

blue blue
yellow Orange yellow &
with with does not does not does Yellow with Blue with orange
colour of flame blue yellow yellow yellow Yellow Yellow blue & blue yellow Orange or green
yellow yellow burn burn not burn spards yellow tip yellow
edges yellow edges
tip tip

acrid or Styrene Styrene Styrene Burnt Hydro-

Styrene Burning faint Odour of
odour paraffin diesel aceticaci acidic and and and Methylated fpirits formaldehyde Vinegar wool or Phenol Phenol chloric
odour rubber apple sulphur
fumes rubber bitter rubber hair acid

not not not

speed of burning fast Slow fast applicabl applicabl applicab Fast Fast Fast Slow Fast slow Slow fast fast Slow Fast Slow Slow Slow
e e le

does not
scratch dense Black Black Black Black
scratche slight Black
es with water smoke smoke smoke NO smoke smoke difficult to white
other characteristics s with NO SMOKE No smoke NO smoke black Froths smoke
fingern clear with with with SMOKE with with ignite smoke
fingernai smoke with soot
ail soot soot soot soot soot
l