Polymers have for long been a fundamental portion of our everyday lives a case in point that examples can be found almost ubiquitously. We generally have an impression leading us to think that polymers are merely plastics utilized for packaging, in household objects and for making fibres, however, this is simply the tip from the iceberg.

Polymers are used in all sorts of applications you might not have thought much about. This website enlightens you regarding the story behind polymers and the way they have evolved from the time to provide several functions across a number of industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans have taken advantage of the versatility of polymers for centuries available as oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it was not prior to the industrial revolution that the polymer industry started to realize. In fact, the birth of polymer science may be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. In the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization procedure that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber right into a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland created resin from two quite normal chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The reaction between those two chemicals led the way to add mass to a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It absolutely was this resin that served being a harbinger to many people from the common polymers we use today. The word “polymer” is derived from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which assembled means “many parts.” Polymeric substances are comprised of numerous chemical units called monomers, which are joined together into large molecular chains composed of a huge number of atoms.
Classification of polymers
Judging by their origin, sumitomo chemical asia could be viewed as synthetic or natural polymers. Natural polymers are those polymers that appear in nature knowning that which are isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are several examples of natural polymers. Though these are processed to get the result, because the basic material comes from a natural source, these polymers are called as natural polymers. Natural rubber originating from tree latex is essentially a polymer made out of isoprene units which has a portion of impurities within it.
Within this context, biopolymers are also significant. There is certainly large number of biopolymers for example polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. They may be naturally made by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes way for enormous risk of the biotechnological output of biopolymers with tailored properties ideal for high-value medical application for example tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Synthetic polymers, as his or her name indicates, are synthesized within the laboratory or factory by way of a group of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. Through the functional standpoint they may be classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and artificial fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is but one such thermoplastic made by the polymerization from the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is commonly generally known as acrylic plastic and lends its properties to a variety of consumer product applications. Being both a thermoplastic and transparent plastic, acrylic is utilized extensively within the automotive industry in trunk release handles, master cylinder, and dashboard lighting. Consumer items that possess a constituent component of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, and others.
A few of the other synthetic polymers we use within us include Nylons, utilized in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, utilized in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, utilized in pipes.
Being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to assist you understand its properties being a synthetic polymer. To find out more, find us here.
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