- published: 19 Feb 2013
- views: 1735979
A plastic bottle is a bottle constructed of plastic, with a neck that is narrower than its real body and an opening at the top. The mouth of the bottle is normally sealed with a plastic bottle cap. Plastic bottles are typically used to store liquids such as water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking oil, medicine, shampoo, milk, and ink. The size ranges from very small sample bottles to large carboys.
This article provides a description of common plastic container resin materials, their qualities, usages, and limitations.
Plastic bottles were first used commercially in 1947, but remained relatively expensive until the early 1960s when high-density polyethylene was introduced. They quickly became popular with both manufacturers and customers due to their lightweight nature and relatively low production costs compared with glass bottles. The food industry has almost completely replaced glass in many cases with plastic bottles, but wine and beer are still commonly sold in glass bottles.
Plastic bottles are formed using a variety of techniques. The choice of material varies depending upon application.