A Brief History of Plastics

Since the 30’s, plastics has become, more and more an integral part of our lives. Several researchers, as well as large companies and chemical producers have worked on the development of thermoplastics. Few, had found applications immediately in their research. However, the changing needs and ongoing research helped them find many new applications. From the non-stick pan coated with Teflon, to the visors of the astronauts in the 60’s, plastics has definitely become a part of our daily lives. The words, plastics and polymers are well known, but few people know their real and/or scientific names and respective application potentials; i.e.: Polypropylene; polyethylene; PVC; CPVC; PVDF; ABS; UHMW; HDPE; MDPE; LDPE; nylon; etc...They all have a their own particular name and specific applications.