What is thermoplastics made of?

What thermoplastic is:

Thermoplastic is a pavement marking that has been used in the U.S. since 1958 with continuing good results. A mixture of glass beads, binder, pigment and filler materials, thermoplastic, as its name suggests, becomes liquid when heated.

What each ingredient in the mixture does:

• The pigment supplies the color, white or yellow, to the thermoplastic.
• Glass beads, in conjunction with the pigment, give the material the retro- reflectivity necessary for its bright night appearance.
• The binder is a mixture of plasticizer and resins that holds all of the other ingredients together.
• Filler materials include calcium carbonate, sand and/or other inert substances that provide bulk.

What thermoplastic is made of and how it is applied are the keys to its durability and long lasting retro-reflectivity. When properly formulated and correctly applied, thermoplastic should last from five to eight years under normal traffic conditions.