Polymers have for very long been an integral part of our everyday lives a case in point that examples is available almost ubiquitously. We generally have the feeling leading us to imagine that polymers are merely plastics utilized for packaging, in household objects as well as making fibres, however is only the tip in the iceberg.
Polymers are utilized in many applications you may not have thought much about. This site enlightens you about the story behind polymers and just how it’s got evolved since that time to provide several functions across a host of industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans took advantage of the versatility of polymers since way back when in the form of oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it was not before the industrial revolution the polymer industry started to realize. The truth is, the birth of polymer science could possibly be traced time for the mid-nineteenth century. In the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization process that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber into a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland developed a resin from two common chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The reaction between these chemicals paved the way to add mass to a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It turned out this resin that served being a harbinger to numerous in the common polymers that people use today. The phrase “polymer” is derived from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which put together means “many parts.” Polymeric substances are composed of countless chemical units called monomers, which can be joined together into large molecular chains composed of a huge number of atoms.
Classification of polymers
On such basis as their origin, pmma thermoplastic can be considered synthetic or natural polymers. Natural polymers are the ones polymers that appear in nature understanding that which can be isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are a few instances of natural polymers. Though they’re processed to find the end result, considering that the basic material comes from a natural source, these polymers are termed as natural polymers. Natural rubber via tree latex is essentially a polymer made from isoprene units having a portion of impurities inside it.
With this context, biopolymers will also be significant. There is certainly huge variety of biopolymers for example polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. They are naturally manufactured by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes way for enormous risk of the biotechnological manufacture 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 inside the laboratory or factory through a series of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. Through the functional point of view they are often classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and synthetic fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is one such thermoplastic manufactured by the polymerization in the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is usually generally known as acrylic plastic and lends its properties into a variety of consumer product applications. Being both a thermoplastic and transparent plastic, acrylic is utilized extensively inside the automotive industry in trunk release handles, master cylinder, and dashboard lighting. Consumer items that have a constituent portion of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, among others.
Many of the other synthetic polymers that people use in our everyday life include Nylons, used in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, used in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, used in pipes.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is happy to work with you understand its properties being a synthetic polymer. To understand more, find us here.
For details about pmma thermoplastic you can check this popular resource: click to read more
Be First to Comment