Life-Cycle Activity The Toothbrush

By

Austin Dunn

Michael Eppel

Raising/Extraction of Plastic and Nylon

• Ethane and propane are "cracked" into ethylene and propylene, using high-temperature furnaces.

• Catalyst is combined with ethylene or propylene in a reactor, resulting in fluff, a powdered material (polymer) resembling laundry detergent.

• Fluff is combined with additives in a continuous blender.

• Polymer is fed to an extruder where it is melted.

Process Resources• Melted plastic is cooled then

cut into small pellets of plastic

• Plastic can be molded and shaped into many different shapes like bristles to make nylon or a handle for a toothbrush.

• Some ways to mold plastic is through extrusion molding, injection molding, and blow molding

Extrusion Molding Machine

Manufacturing• Plastic is mixed and shaped into pellets. The

pellets are then placed in an injection molding machine, which heats the plastic until it is melted.

• A rotating screw or plunger forces the liquid plastic into the handle molds. The molds form the entire handle, including the small holes, called cores, into which the bristles are inserted.

• The molds are securely clamped, and pressure is applied to the molds while the plastic cools.

• Once the molds have adequately cooled, the clamps are removed, and small pins push the handles out of the molds.

Injection Molding Machine

Toothbrush factory in Asia

Buy/Use/Repair

• Toothbrushes are packaged and shipped to general stores all over the nation such as Target and Wal-Mart.

• There are no expiration dates on toothbrushes. They remain available for years.

• Simple toothbrushes cannot be repaired but they have a low cost.

Dispose and Recycle

• Toothbrushes are not usually recycled even though they are made of 100% plastic, they are recyclable.

• Some people keep their old toothbrushes to clean sinks, toilets, or car rims.

Toothbrush Improvements

• The toothbrush should be hollow in the middle and filled with toothpaste. When you squeeze the toothbrush, small holes where the bristles are release the toothpaste from the hollow toothbrush.

• Therefore, you can be lazy and not have to pick up, spread, and put away the toothpaste also.

Timeline

Completely woven toothbrush with wood and boar hair bristles

Old fashioned, all wood toothbrush used during 1300-1800

Modern plastic toothbrush used now

Modern electric toothbrush made by SoniCare

Bibliography

• How Products are Made is a website that shows the cycle of life of products

(Madehow.com)

• Michigan Reach out is a website for a help center in Michigan (http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/plastic.html)

• Wise Geek is a site that has clear answers for your common questions

(Wisegeek.com)