Which type of plastics will melt when subjected to fire conditions?

Thermoplastics are a type of plastic that, when exposed to heat, will soften and melt. This property makes them inherently different from thermosets, which do not melt and instead char when subjected to high temperatures due to their cross-linked molecular structure. The melting point of thermoplastics varies widely among different types, which is why they are particularly susceptible to deformation when exposed to fire conditions.

Thermoplastics are often used in various applications, including packaging, automotive parts, and construction materials, due to their ability to be reprocessed and remolded when heated. In fire scenarios, this means they can easily lose structural integrity and contribute to the spread of fire, as they can catch flame and release significant amounts of smoke and toxic fumes as they melt.

By contrast, the other categories of plastics, including amorphous and pyrolytic, have different thermal properties, with amorphous plastics typically maintaining a stable solid form when subjected to heat until they reach a certain temperature or begin to decompose rather than melting. Pyrolytic materials undergo thermal decomposition at high temperatures rather than simple melting. Thus, thermoplastics are uniquely characterized by their melting behavior in the presence of heat or fire.