What is gum? Is it the same thing as plastic?

1. What is gum?

Gum, as the name suggests, is a substance extracted from plants, which is mainly derived from the secretions of trees. The substance is naturally sticky and is often used as a binder or paint. In the food industry, gum is often used to make adhesives and coatings for foods such as candy, chocolate and chewing gum, which can increase the taste and stability of foods. At the same time, gum is also used as excipients and coatings in pharmaceuticals, as well as adhesives and coatings in various building and decoration materials.

2. What is plastic?

Plastic is a synthetic organic polymer material. It can be extracted from fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas through various chemical reactions. Plastic has excellent plasticity, flexibility and insulation characteristics, so it is widely used in the manufacture of various plastic products, such as plastic bags, plastic pipes, plastic sheets and so on.

3. Is gum the same as plastic?

(1) In terms of composition and nature, gum and plastic are completely different substances. Gum is a natural organic polymer secreted by plants, and plastic is an organic polymer material obtained by artificial synthesis. Their molecular structure and chemical properties are very different.

(2) In terms of use, gum and plastic are also very different. Gum is mainly used in adhesives, coatings and excipients in food, medicine, building materials and decoration industries, while plastics are mainly used in the manufacture of various plastic products, such as packaging materials, building materials, electronic products and so on.

In general, gum and plastic are two completely different substances, they have great differences in composition, properties, uses and so on. Therefore, when using these two substances, it is necessary to choose the appropriate use method and material according to their characteristics and uses to avoid confusion and misuse.