The history of plastics dates back over 150 years. In 1862, chemist and inventor Alexander Parkes unveiled the first man-made plastic: Parkesine. This substance, made from cellulose, could be molded by heat and retained its shape when cooled. Several other important innovations followed. Today, you can find plastics in everything from packaging to cosmetics. This article will take a closer look at the history of plastics.
The pace of technological development is accelerating at a rapid rate. According to the futurist Hammond, life in 2030 will be very different from what we know today. Plastics are expected to play an even greater role in our lives. In the coming years, we can expect a global plastic pollution crisis. While the world is doing its part to reduce waste, many countries are still refusing to recycle their plastic trash. In the meantime, China refuses to recycle any plastic trash that comes from the rest of the world.
Most plastics are organic polymers. Carbon atoms form the chains of polymers, which contain many different repeating units. Polymers can also contain different kinds of molecular groups, which hang from the backbone. These side chains are what influence the properties of a plastic. These side chains can vary in length and shape and can vary in composition. For example, the plastic polymer ethylene is used to make car parts and plastic toys.
The term plasticity refers to the deformability of plastic materials. As a result, they can be molded, extruded, compressed, or extruded into almost any shape. It has a technical definition in materials science. Simply put, plasticity is the nonreversible change in form of a solid material. The term plastics has revolutionized the way the world works. They are used in everything from packaging to appliances to clothing.
Despite the widespread use of plastics, these materials have evolved significantly in their properties and functionality. The evolution of polymers has resulted in a wide range of new materials that have different properties. For example, a plastic bag of chips has properties that make it light, flexible, almost impermeable to moisture, chemically inert, thermally sealable, and inexpensive. Each of these properties has an effect on the other and these are the key technical challenges in plastic research.
The chemical structure of the polymer base determines how the material is classified. Some important groups of plastics are acrylics, silicones, polyurethanes, and halogenated plastics. Plastics are also classified by their chemical synthesis. They are further classified according to their physical properties, including hardness, tensile strength, thermal resistance, and glass transition temperature. All types of plastics are used in various applications.
Polyethylene and polypropylene are the most common types of plastic. Polyethylene and polypropylene are resistant to chemicals and weathering, making them excellent materials for medical devices. Plastics are also excellent for packaging food, reducing food waste and helping to make clean drinking water supplies. Modified atmosphere packaging extends the life span of fruits and vegetables. However, they are also one of the most toxic types of plastic. When used in the wrong way, they can lead to cancer and other diseases.
In the developed world, nearly a third of plastic is used in packaging. A significant portion of building products – such as plastic pipes – also contain up to 20% plastic. Toys and automobiles are also filled with plastic. As plastics are a critical part of modern society, they can’t be ignored. The global market is worth billions of dollars and millions of jobs depend on them. So, how are plastics used?
Despite the fact that plastics are natural products, they are still manipulated to have specific properties. Special additives such as carbon fibers and glass can modify their properties. Since plastics are made of long chains of carbon atoms, they have inherent elasticity. Adding additives or using a polymer base with high tensile strength can resolve these problems. It’s important to note that plastics have evolved over time.