POM

POM Full Form:

Polyoxymethylene

What is POM?

Engineering thermoplastic polyoxymethylene (POM), also referred to as acetal, polyacetal, and polyformaldehyde, is used in precision parts that need high stiffness, low friction, and exceptional dimensional stability.

POM has a high strength, hardness, and rigidity down to 40 °C. POM can be made in a number of colours but is naturally opaque white due to its high crystalline content. The density of POM is 1.410–1.420 g/cm3. High-performance technical parts such small gear wheels, eyeglass frames, ball bearings, ski bindings, fasteners, gun parts, knife handles, and lock systems are typical applications for injection-molded POM. The consumer electronics and automobile industries both make extensive use of the material.

How is POM made?

Distilling hydrocarbon fuels into lighter groups known as "fractions," some of which are mixed with other catalysts to generate polymers, produces polyoxymethylene, like other plastics (typically via polymerization or polycondensation).

One of two main processes—polymerization or polycondensation, commonly known as chain growth and step growth polymerization—is used to create the majority of plastics. In both situations, petroleum distillates are mixed with certain catalysts to create novel, often bigger molecules. In a reactor, where both procedures take place, heat is employed to convert tiny molecules into larger ones (known as plastics). The big molecules that are produced have different characteristics depending on the process variables.

POM uses/forms

POM is commonly used in -

Mechanical gears, slid-and-guiding components, housing components, springs, chains, screws, nuts, fan wheels, pump components, and valve bodies.

Electrical engineering: insulators, bobbins, connectors, and components for electronics like telephones and televisions.

Vehicle components include a gasoline sender unit, an articulated shell, a light/control stalk/combination switch (with a shifter for the light and turn signal).

Medical: meter-dose inhalers, insulin pens (MDI).

Food industry: The Food and Drug Administration has given some POM grades the go-ahead for use in food conveyors, filter housings, milk pumps, and coffee spigots.

Hardware for furniture includes locks, handles, hinges, and rollers for sliding mechanisms.

Cans of aerosol paint and car tanks: packaging.

POM Types

Homopolymer and copolymer are the two forms of POM. It is not suggested that one type of POM be changed for another without technical assessment because to the variances in their chemical composition. For instance, copolymer is more resistant to hot water than homopolymer, which is why homopolymer is not advised for use with strong caustics.

Different glass fibre reinforced and homopolymer reinforced extrusion and injection moulding grades are offered.

Applications made with POM are fully recyclable both mechanically.

Benefits of POM