Polymers have for very long been a fundamental element of our everyday lives because of this that examples are available almost ubiquitously. We generally have an impression leading us to imagine that polymers are simply just plastics used for packaging, in household objects and for making fibres, however, this is simply the tip in the iceberg.
Polymers are employed in all sorts of applications you do not have thought much about. This site enlightens you about the story behind polymers and how it’s got evolved ever since for everyone several functions across quite a few industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans took benefit from the versatility of polymers since way back when in the form of oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it was not before industrial revolution that the polymer industry began to develop. In fact, the birth of polymer science might be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. Within the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization method that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber in a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland developed a resin from two quite normal chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The response between those two chemicals paved the way to build up a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It had been this resin that served as a harbinger to a lot of in the common polymers that individuals use today. The phrase “polymer” hails from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which build means “many parts.” Polymeric substances are composed of countless chemical units called monomers, which can be joined together into large molecular chains consisting of 1000s of atoms.
Classification of polymers
Judging by their origin, pmma plastic might be considered natural or synthetic polymers. Natural polymers are the ones polymers that appear in nature which which can be isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are a couple of instances of natural polymers. Though they’re processed to have the end product, since the basic material comes from a natural source, these polymers are termed as natural polymers. Natural rubber coming from tree latex is basically a polymer produced from isoprene units which has a tiny proportion of impurities inside.
With this context, biopolymers will also be significant. There is certainly vast number of biopolymers including polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. These are naturally produced by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes means for enormous potential for the biotechnological creation of biopolymers with tailored properties suited to high-value medical application including tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Synthetic polymers, for their name indicates, are synthesized inside the laboratory or factory by having a compilation of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. From the functional viewpoint they are often classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and synthetic fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is certainly one such thermoplastic produced by the polymerization in the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is commonly called acrylic plastic and lends its properties to a selection of consumer product applications. Being both a thermoplastic and transparent plastic, acrylic can be used extensively inside the automotive industry in trunk release handles, master cylinder, and dashboard lighting. Consumer products which have a very constituent part of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, amongst others.
Many of the other synthetic polymers that individuals utilization in us include Nylons, employed in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, employed in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, employed in pipes.
Like a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is satisfied to work with you understand its properties as a synthetic polymer. To understand more, contact us here.
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