Foreword: Is resin plastic? This article will thoroughly clarify the relationship between resin and plastic.
I. Is resin plastic?
No, resin (synthetic resin) is the primary material used in manufacturing plastics. In industrial production, the term “plastic resin” is commonly used, leading many to assume that resin and plastic are the same—but that’s not actually the case. Resins are mainly divided into natural resins and synthetic resins. Among them, plastic resin is a type of synthetic resin. It is often used as raw material, blended with various additives and processed to form plastic materials (semi-finished products), and finally made into our common plastic products through different production techniques.
II. Resin is the main raw material of plastic
Resin is the main raw material of plastic, and the two are in a “ raw material-to-finished product” relationship. For a better understanding, we can compare resin to “flour” (basic raw material), and plastic to “bread”, which is a finished product after formulation and process processing.
“Resin (synthetic resin) + additives = plastic resin” → Processing and molding → Finished plastic product
The above process clearly illustrates how resin is transformed into the final plastic product. Let’s use a plastic bottle as an example: PET resin (pellets) + masterbatch → blow molding → plastic bottle.
We’ve also illustrated the relationship between resin and plastic in a diagram to help you quickly grasp the connection.
1. What is Resin?
Resin is a class of high-molecular materials primarily composed of organic polymers, primarily including natural and synthetic resins.
Natural resins
Synthetic resins
Natural resins are primarily derived from plant secretions, such as pine rosin and lacquer from sumac trees. Natural resins generally possess excellent adhesion and gloss, making them commonly used in coatings, adhesives, and craft materials.
Synthetic resins are polymer materials, such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), that are artificially synthesized from petrochemical monomers (ethylene, propylene, etc.). These artificially modified synthetic resins generally possess excellent strength, toughness, and heat resistance, making them a common primary material in products such as plastics, composites, adhesives, and coatings.
2. What is Plastic?
Plastic is a type of polymer material, primarily manufactured by combining synthetic resins with various functional additives (such as plasticizers, stabilizers, and fillers).
The properties of plastics are generally determined by the resin and additives, Plastics typically offer advantages such as light weight, ease of processing, corrosion resistance, and excellent insulation properties. Consequently, they are widely used in the automotive, electronics, and packaging industries.
Plastic raw materials processed from resin typically exist in the form of pellets or liquids, and are considered semi-finished products. To become the plastic products we use every day—like casings, bottles, and beverage packaging—raw plastic typically needs to be processed through different manufacturing methods, such as injection molding, extrusion, or blow molding, depending on its final application.
Plastic (Raw material)
Plastic (Products)
3. What is Plastic Resin?
Plastic resin is a type of synthetic resin, specifically polymers used in plastic processing. Unmodified plastic resins generally lack the performance to meet diverse application requirements. Therefore, they are often modified with various additives to enhance their specific performance. Only modified plastic resins are truly suitable for use in the manufacture of end products.
III.Resin vs. Plastic
After reading the previous article, you should have a certain understanding of the concepts of “resin” and “plastic”. To help you more systematically distinguish the connection and differences between the two, we have sorted out the core information in the following table:
| Resin | Plastic | |
|---|---|---|
|
Definition |
Pure high molecular weight polymers |
Composite materials with resin as the primary component |
|
Source |
Natural or synthetic
|
Synthetic
|
|
Ingredients |
Pure polymer (e.g., pure ABS) |
Resin + additives |
|
Physical forms |
Typically granules, powders, or liquids
|
Almost always in solid form (granules, films, sheets, etc.) |
|
Properties
Determining factors
|
Determined by molecular chain structure and chemical composition
|
Determined by the resin matrix properties and additives |
|
Performance |
Single properties often fail to meet application requirements |
Performance can be customized (e.g., flame retardancy, corrosion resistance, etc.) and can usually be processed directly |
|
Applications |
Coatings, adhesives, composite matrix, prototype and rapid prototyping materials |
Packaging, daily necessities, engineering parts, and other fields |
Summary
Resin is not plastic, but rather its core component, providing the fundamental performance framework for plastics. While closely linked within the industry chain, the two differ significantly in production objectives, process routes, and application targets. If you have questions about choosing between resin and plastic, please contact our engineering team for professional advice.