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

Polymers are widely-used in all sorts of applications you may not have thought much about. This blog enlightens you in regards to the story behind polymers and the way they have evolved from the time for everyone several functions across a host of industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans have advantage of the versatility of polymers for centuries as oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it had not been before industrial revolution that this polymer industry developed. In reality, the birth of polymer science might be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. In the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization process that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber in to a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland designed a resin from two quite normal chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The reaction between these two chemicals led the way for the development of a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It was this resin that served as being a harbinger to many in the common polymers that individuals use today. The term “polymer” is derived from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which assembled means “many parts.” Polymeric substances are made of many chemical units called monomers, that are joined together into large molecular chains comprising a huge number of atoms.
Classification of polymers
On the basis of their origin, pmma plastic might be classified as natural or synthetic polymers. Natural polymers are the type polymers that appear in nature understanding that that are isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are several samples of natural polymers. Though these are processed to get the result, considering that the basic material comes from a natural source, these polymers are called as natural polymers. Natural rubber via tree latex is basically a polymer produced from isoprene units with a tiny proportion of impurities inside it.
In this context, biopolymers may also be significant. There is vast number of biopolymers like polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. These are naturally made by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes way for enormous potential for the biotechnological manufacture of biopolymers with tailored properties ideal for high-value medical application like tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Synthetic polymers, for their name indicates, are synthesized within the laboratory or factory via a compilation of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. From the functional point of view they may be classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and synthetic fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a such thermoplastic made by the polymerization in the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is often referred to as acrylic plastic and lends its properties into a number 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 products that have a very constituent component of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, and others.
Many of the other synthetic polymers that individuals use within us include Nylons, utilized in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, utilized in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, utilized in pipes.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to help you in understanding its properties as being a synthetic polymer. To understand more, find us here.
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