The women section of Chemistry Department at College of Science at Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University went on a scheduled visit to the Department of Plastic Application Development at the Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Cooperation, known as SABIC, on Tuesday 21/7/1438 AH. Here is a summary of the visit: 

First: Safety and Security, Security Rules:

This topic was addressed by Eng. Bandar Al-Otaibi, he explained the meaning of some codes and signs used for warning.

Second: Introduction to Polymers (Plastic):

Eng. Bandar Al-Otaibi dealt with this topic clarifying that chemicals represent 50% of SABIC's production and polymers represent 30%. He also explained the types of Polymers and their differences taking Plastic as an example explaining its types, differences, Pros and cons, as well as the stages of developing Plastic and some of its applications.

Third: Products of SABIC and Research Centers:

This topic was also presented by Eng. Bandar Al-Otaibi, in which he explained how SABIC was keen on reaching high quality production that can generate high profit by cooperating with foreign companies to develop its products in 2007.

SABIC Plastic Application Development Center (SPADC):  

The center includes 4 labs:

1- Mechanical Properties Lab:  For example, testing the tensile strength of plastic material.

2- Thermal Properties Lab:  Focuses on the thermal properties of plastic materials by exposing them to fire and monitoring their behavior.

3- Chemical Properties Lab: To test the effect of climate conditions on plastic products, such as high or low temperatures, humidity, light and darkness.

4- Optical Properties Lab: Transparency is an important factor to the quality of plastic materials; more scratches mean less quality.

Fourth: Questions and Enquiries:

Towards the end of the visit, students were taken on a field tour around the labs, in which they were introduced to used machines and the way they functioned; they also saw some types of plastic products.

Achievements of the visit to SPADC:

- Comprehensive introduction to SABIC center, its objectives and branches around the world, in addition to the number of employees in all branches.

- learning about some of the used materials, the process of work in general, as well as the most important aspects, on which the center focuses for material production and types of material in general.

- learning about the laboratories in the center and the general objective of each one of them, also examining the machinery operation  manufacturing  different types of plastic and molding methods, whether by extruding, casting or molding; examining some samples produced by the factory, subject to some tests such as tensile strength, flow rate, friction resistance, melting grades and shock resistance.

- All of this had a very positive impact on students; because of its relevance to some of the department courses, since most of what has been examined in the visit had already been studied in theory and, after the visit, the work process became clearer, which reinforced understanding.

Finally, we are very pleased to thank the head of the department Dr. Sami ibn Abdulaziz Al-Hussein, who provided the opportunity to make such visits and many thanks to the Coordinator of the department Ms. Arwa al Mubarak Al-Qahtani. We also thank Dr. Sarah Talib, Ms. So'ad Al-Zahrani and many thanks also to SABIC for hosting us and allowing us to know about its highly advanced labs and products.