4 History of Plastics

7/24/2019 4 History of Plastics

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Department of Plastics Engineering

The History of Plastics

Plastics are said to be the most versatilematerials on earth. Almost all

of the products we use in our daily lives contain plastics. This displaychronicles some of the key discoveries, inventions, and people thathave helped make the plastics industry what it is today.

You will notice that many important developments related to plastics

and rubber happened right here in Massachusetts, beginning withCharles oodyear!s "#$% discovery of the vulcani&ation process fornatural rubber in nearby 'oburn. Also note that (Mass )owell*formerly Lowell Technological Institute+ was the very first university inthe nation to offer a degree in Plastics ngineering. Take a few minutesand learn more about the -istory of Plastics/.


2/47

Charles oodyear spent most of his adult life trying to improve theproperties of natural rubber. 'orking in 'oburn, MA in "#$%, oodyeardiscovers that adding sulfur to natural rubber greatly enhances its elasticityand toughness. is -sulfuri&ed/ rubber, later known as -vulcani&ed/rubber, is still widely used today. 'hile the oodyear name is famous,

Charles oodyear never reali&ed fortune from his invention.

Charles oodyear


3/47

The mirror frames shown above are among the earliest molded -plastic/parts ever made. They were compression molded from a shellac basedplastic molding compound known as Florence Compound which wasdeveloped in 0lorence, MA. 1ts inventor, Alfred Critchlow, founded thePro Molding Corporation in "#23. Pro is thought to be the very firstplastics molding company to be established in the (nited 4tates.

Molded plastic mirror frames anda hand made compression mold.*circa 1866+


4/47

A new semi5synthetic plastic was unveiled by Ale6ander Parkes at the "#78 GreatInternational Exhibitionin )ondon, ngland. This new material, which the publicdubbed ar!esine, was an organic material consisting of cellulose nitrate and asolvent. ar!esinecould be heated, formed, and it retained its shape whencooled. The material could be molded or carved into products such as buttons,combs, picture frames and knife handles. owever, ar!esine was never

commerciali&ed due its relatively high cost compared to vulcani&ed rubber.

Ale6ander Parkes


5/47

9ohn 'esley yatt, a printer and inventor from Albany :Y, blendednitrocellulose with camphor *sap from the laurel tree+ to produce adurable, colorful, and moldable thermoplastic known as celluloid *alsoknown as"rox"lin+ in "#7#. Celluloidwas the first commerciallysuccessful semi5synthetic plastic. 1t was used for products such as

billiard balls, shirt collars, eyeglass frames and pen housings.

9ohn 'esley yatt


6/47

The first synthetic plastic was discovered in "%;3 when a


7/47

Most early -thermoset/ plastic parts were produced by compressionor transfer molding. These molded phenolic E!coradio housings are

being deflashed after being compression molded. $circa 1%&'(


8/47

Polyvinyl chloride *P@C+ is one of themost widely used thermoplastics in usetoday, particularly in the building andhome construction industries where it isused for siding, window profiles pipe.

The commerciali&ation of P@C in "%83 is the direct result of research workthat was conducted by 'aldo 4emon, a chemist working at the


9/47

1939: Wood TV Cabinet

1948: Phenolic TV Cabinet 1970: HIP TV Cabinet !003: HIP TV Cabinet

Although polystyrene (PS) was unknowinglydiscovered by a German apothecary in !"#$ it wasnot until #"% that a scientist from the &AS'orporation developed a commercial process for the

manufacture of PS General purpose PS is a verytransparent but fairly brittle thermoplastic Shortlyafter its commercial introduction$ other rubbermodified or rubber toughened grades$ known as highimpact polystyrene (*+PS) were introduced

PS and *+PS are still widely today for items that range from ra,or cartridgesto television cabinets -elevision cabinets were initially wooden$ thenthermoset phenolic$ followed by flame retardant *+PS that is still used today


10/47

Bohm and aas was the first company to market polymethyl methacrylate*PMMA+, better known as Dacrylic-. 1t was introduced commercially in "%$3.Their tradename for this new thermoplastic was Ple6iglasE. PMMA is a veryhard material and is actually more transparent than glass. This transparent

thermoplastic was first used for applications that ranged from contact lenses tothermoformed aircraft canopies. 1t then became the material of choice forautomotive tail light lenses due to its superior optical properties, where it is stillused today. PMMA is also used in a wide variety of other applications includingacrylic fibers, paints and coatings, and as a marble replacement for kitchencountertops.


11/47

The process of In)ection *oldinginvolves inFecting hot *melted+ plastic into aclosed mold cavity. Most early inFection molding machines were imported fromurope. The 1M machine shown below was one of the first (4 built machines

and was manufactured by the PM Corporation in Marion, >. * circa 1%&++


12/47

The .1. duPont de :emours Company wanted to develop a synthetic fiber that couldreplace silk. 4hortly thereafter, duPont scientists, led by =r. 'allace . Carothers, pulledthe first long, strong, fle6ible strands of a synthetic polymer fiber out of a test tube. Theyreali&ed immediately that this artificial fiber had properties similar and in many wayssuperior to natural fibers. The material,pol"$hexameth"lene adipamide(, is more commonlyknown as -nylon 77/. 1t was intoduced commercially in "%$#. >ne of the earliest uses ofnylon 77 fiber was for tooth brush bristles, previously made from animal *Chinese boar+bristles. =uring 'orld 'ar 11, nylon was used for many applications including cargoparachutes, tire cord for bombers, glider tow ropes, flak Fackets, mosuito netting, and

Fungle clothing.

=r. 'allace . Carothers


13/47

The first solution tomolding -larger/ plasticparts was a moldingmachine with multiplein)ection units,

This "%$% PMinFection moldingmachine had fourinFection units giving it

a total shot capacity of$8 ounces. 1t wasused to mold the -verylarge/ *for that time+automobile dash board

parts shown above.


14/47

Polyethylene terephthalate *PT+ is an e6tremelyversatile thermoplastic made by the condensationreaction of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.

=iscovered in "%2", PT was initially used for theproduction of synthetic te6tile fiber, know today as-acronE.


15/47

A maFor contribution to the mold making and molding industries wasmade by 1.T. Guarnstrom, a toolmaker from =etroit, in "%2$. e cameup with the concept of producing -standard mold bases/ having

interchangeable components. The standard mold base would greatlysimplify the machining process for plastic molds and reduce the timereuired to build inFection and compression molds. The standard moldbases were produced by the =M Corporation that is still the leadingsupplier of mold bases today.


16/47

=r. Boy Plunkett, a young scientist working at =uPont, accidentallydiscoverspol"tetra.luoroeth"lene *PT0+, an inherently slippery andremarkably chemically resistant plastic. 1t is said to be the most slippery

substance on earth. The initial discovery occurred in "%$#, but thecommercial introduction of =uPont!s Te.lonE did not occur until "%27.Te.lonE is most widely known for its widespread use in nonstickcookware and as cable insulation but it is used in a wide variety of otheruniue applications. Te.lonE sheet is used as an insulator and lubricantbetween the copper skin and the stainless steel skeleton of the /tatue o.Libert". 1t is also widely used for specialty te6tiles. The roof of thePontac /ilverdomeis made of a Te.lonE coated woven glass fiber fabric.


17/47

-he tough thermoplastic known as A&S$ short for polyacrylonitrilebutadiene styrene$ was first produced in #. At first$ A&S was

/ust a 0blend1 of polystyrene2acrylonitrile copolymer (SA3) andbutadiene rubber as an impact modifier *owever$ the propertiesof the blend were not particularly good +t was then discoveredthat outstanding impact performance could be obtained if the SA3was chemically grafted onto the butadiene rubber -he graftedversion is known as A&S 0terpolymer1 -he properties of A&S canbe fine tuned by controlling the relative ratio of each monomer

A&S is widely used in applications where toughness is re4uired5ne of the earliest applications was for football helmets$ which arenow made from polycarbonate -oday$ A&S is most widely usedfor consumer electronics and business machine housings


18/47

General 6otors introduced the hevrolet Cor"ettein #." +t wasdesigned by G67s chief stylist *arley Earl$ who was intrigued with theuse of glass fiber reinforced plastic as a body material A total of "%%

Cor"etteswere produced in the first year of production$ each containingforty one glass fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester body parts -he#." Cor"ettewas available only with a white body and red interior$ andsold for 8"$9#!%% :hile the orvette has changed dramatically over its.% year history$ one thing that has not changed is the use of the glassfiber reinforced plastic body

19#3 Cor"ette !003 #0 th$nni"ersary Cor"ette


19/47

'orking independently, ermann 4chnell of M!s and =@=!s are manufactured using polycarbonate.


20/47

$ n%&ber of scientists ha"e been na&ed 'obel (a%reates for their

)ioneerin* +or, in the field of )oly&ers or &acro&olec%les- They

incl%de:

ermann 4taudinger for his many discoveriesin the field of macromolecular chemistry. *"%H$+

?arl Iiegler and iulio :atta for theirdiscoveries related to polymer chemistry andnew polymeri&ation technologies. *"%7$+

Paul 9. 0lory for fundamental achievements,both theoretical and e6perimental, in thephysical chemistry of macromolecules. *"%32+

P.. de ennes for creating the reptation

model of polymer dynamics used to predictpolymer properties and viscosity. *"%%"+

Alan 9. eeger, Alan . Mac=iarmid and .4hirakawa for the discovery and developmentof inherently conductive polymers. *8;;;+

The 0obel rie


21/47

The Plastics ngineering Program at (Mass )owell *then known as Lowell

Technological Institute+ was founded by the late Bussell '. hlers in "%H2.


22/47

igh =ensity Polyethylene

The thermoplastic known as -high

density polyethylene/ *=P+ was firstproduced commercially by PhillipsPetroleum in "%HH. 1t was given thetradename *arlexE. This newthermoplastic offered a good balance ofmechanical properties, low specific

gravity, electrical insulation, andchemical resistance. owever, thematerial had few markets in those earlyyears. Then came the ula oop J

Bichard ?nerr and Artur Melin, founders of the 'ham5> Company, werethe architects of the biggest -fad/ of all time K the -ula oop/. Theula oop evolved from bamboo hoops previously used in Australia. Atthe peak of this cra&e in "%H#, 'ham5> was using ",;;;,;;; pounds of=P each week for ula oop production. They were the largest user

of =P at the time.


23/47

-he 6onsanto Ho%se of the .%t%rewas constructed at Disneyland in

#.; -he frame and structure of the house were %%< plastic -hehouse featured a number of innovations including a visual phone$ anultrasonic dishwasher$ and a microwave oven -he house had fourcantilevered wings floating above beautifully landscaped grounds andwaterfalls =ike many concept designs$ 6onsanto7s Ho%se of the .%t%rewas never mass produced *owever$ today the building and construction

industry is one of the largest and fastest growing markets for plastics


24/47

'orking at the Milan Polytechnic 1nstitute, Professor uillo :attahad been e6amining propylene reactions attempting to find a newcommercial polymer. The best efforts of other researchers hadyielded only soft, gummy substances which showed no promise.is work was of great importance as it represented the first attempt

to -engineer/ a polymer molecule to a predetermined specificationusing a designed polymeri&ation technology. The first DmolecularmechanicD succeeded in "%H2, building a long chain stereoregularpolypropylene molecule. Polypropylene went into production in"%H3 and is now a commodity plastic offering a very good balanceof properties that include stiffness, toughness, chemical resistance,and translucent optics. >ne very uniue characteristic ofpolypropylene is its ability function for thousands of cycles as an-integral hinge/. Polypropylene and its copolymers are among themost widely used thermoplastics. Professor :atta was awardedthe 0obel riein chemistry for this work.


25/47

The first studentchapter of the/ociet" o. lastics

Engineerswasestablished at the)owell Technological1nstitute *now (Mass

)owell+ in "%H%.

lastics Engineering Education

Today, there are ""8 student chapters chartered by the/ociet" o. lastics Engineersaround the world.


26/47

Plastics are used e6tensively in the medical industry. >ne of the most interestingmedical applications for plastics is the -artificial hip/. ach prosthesis is made upof two partsL the acetabular component *socket portion+ that replaces theacetabulum, and the femoral component *stem portion+ that replaces the femoral

head. The femoral component is made of titanium, while the acetabularcomponent is made of a metal shell with a plastic inner socket liner. The plasticliner is molded from 2ltra 3igh *olecular 4eight ol"eth"leneand acts like abearing. The (M'P is e6tremely tough, abrasion resistant and has a very lowcoefficient of friction. This is a very good e6ample of how plastics and metals worktogether to enhance our uality of life.

(M'Pacetabular

Titaniumstem


27/47

6r 6cGuire> Co&e +ith &e for a &in%te- I +ant to tal, to yo%- I /%st +ant tosay one +ord to yo%- %st one +ord-

&en> es2 sir-

6r 6cGuire> $re yo% listenin*

&en> es sir2 I a&-

6r 6cGuire> P=AS-+S&en> 5actly ho+ do yo% &ean 6r 6cGuire> There is a *reat f%t%re in )lastics- Thin, abo%t it- Will yo% thin,

abo%t it &en> es I +ill-

The Graduate, starring =ustin offman, is released by mbassy Picturesin "%73. A memorable poolside scene from the movieL


28/47

5n ?uly @%$ ## B the human race accomplished its greatest technologicalachievement of all time when 3eil Armstrong set foot on the moon -his

feat would not have been possible without many materials sciencedevelopments Plastics played an important roll 'or eCample$ the$)olloA;= space suits were a multi2layer plastic structure comprised of nylonfabric$ neoprene coated nylon fabric$ 6acronE(PE-) fabric$ alumini,edylarE(PE-) film$ a)tonE(P+) film$ and TeflonE(P-'E) coated fabric-he 0fish bowl1 helmet was produced from transparent polycarbonate

-he space suits of today make even more eCtensive use of plastics


29/47

Belying on e6perience and instinct, 4tephanie ?wolekinvented one of the modern worlds most readilyrecogni&ed and widely used materialsL 5evlarE.?wolek, a =uPont chemist, speciali&ed in low5temperature processes for the preparation ofcondensation polymers. 1n the "%7;!s, she discoveredan entirely new branch of synthetics known as liuidcrystalline polymers. 4he discovered an aramidpolymer that most researchers would have reFected,since it was fluid and cloudy, rather than viscous and

clear. ?wolek, acting on instinct, insisted on spinningout the solution, and the result was astonishingLsynthetic fibers much stiffer and stronger than anycreated before. The polymer fiber, named 5evlarE,was first marketed in "%3". The fiber was five timesstronger than steel *on a strength per weight basis+ butabout half the density of glass fiber. 5evlarE is best

known to the public as the material from whichbulletproof vests are madeN and in this use alone hassaved thousands of lives. 1n fact, 5evlarE has do&ensof important applications, including radial tire cord,brake pads, racing boat sails, aircraft components,and suspension bridge cables.

4tephanie ?wolek


30/47

>ver the years,


31/47

+n the #;9$ Edward lobbie$ a plastics process engineer from the3etherlands$ developed a process that could be used to manufacture0plastic lumber1from waste post consumer plastic packaging Plasticlumber can be manufactured from a variety of waste streams$ however$it is most commonly produced using post consumer *DPE milk ordetergent bottles :ood fiber or saw dust is often added to the plasticlumber as a reinforcing filler Plastic lumber offers a number ofadvantages for outdoor applications where it competes with pressuretreated wood lumber Plastics lumber is used for applications such asporches or decks$ park benches$ landscape timbers$ and even railroad

ties +t is rot proof$ durable$ and virtually maintenance free


32/47

-he oldflo+orporation revolutioni,ed the plastic part and mold designfields when it introduced 0+n/ection 6olding Simulation1 software in #;!'ounded in Australia by olin Austin$ oldflo+was the first company toproduce software that allowed plastics engineers to optimi,e the design oftheir parts and molds before 0cutting steel1 oldflo+$ now head4uarteredin :ayland$ 6A is dedicated to improving the 6esi*n to an%fact%re

Processfor in/ection molded plastic parts


33/47

Polyurethane could be the most versatile plastics availabletoday. A polyurethane is formed by reacting a polyol (an alcoholwith more than two reactive hydroxyl groups per molecule) witha diisocyanate or a polymeric isocyanate in the presence of

suitable catalysts and additives. Polyurethanes can be molded,extruded, or cast, and are available as foams, coatings,specialty adhesives and sealants. The flexible and durablevertical body panels of the Pontiac Fierrowere reaction injectionmolded polyurethane. The first artificial replacement heart, the

Jarvic-7, was produced from a flexible and fatigue resistantpolyurethane. The toughness and abrasion resistance ofpolyurethane mae it an ideal material for applications such asin!line sate wheels.


34/47

Prototyping is a very important step in the new product development process.1n "%#8, Charles ull first conceived the idea of the -Bapid Prototyping/process known as /tereoLithograph"E. This rapid prototyping euipment,produced by $= 4ystems in @alencia, CA, is a fully automated system for the

production of prototype plastic parts. The process begins by slicing a -solidcomputer model/ of the proposed part in thin *virtual+ layers. A focusedultraviolet laser beam then shines onto a photosensitive liuid epo6y plasticresin bath at selected locations causing the epo6y to polymeri&e and solidify.The part is built or -grown/ one layer at a time. (sing this process, prototypeparts can be built in a matter of hours, rather than days or weeks as with

traditional machining. This has revolutioni&ed the product developmentprocess and reduced time to market for new products.


35/47

1n search of a high temperature thermoplastic, scientists at the enerallectric Company discovered polyetherimide *P1+ in the early "%#;!s.The material was introduced commercially in "%#8 with the tradename2ltemE. The transparent amorphous thermoplastic has mechanical

properties very similar to polycarbonate, but has much better heatresistance. 1t can be used at temperatures up to $7HO0 for an e6tendedperiod of time. 1t is also inherently flame retardant and very lightweight.The combination of these properties make 2ltemE the ideal materialfor applications such as the thermal imaging camera case and

firefighter helmets shown below.


36/47

The 0ational lastics Center and *useumis a non5profit institution

dedicated to preserving the past, addressing the present, andpromoting the future of plastics. 1ncorporated in "%#8, the :PCMoffers a rich and diverse e6perience for visitors of all ages. The centerand museum is located off route ""3 in )eominster, Massachusetts, atown rich in plastics history. 1n fact, )eominster is said to be the

-birthplace/ of the plastics industry.


37/47

The Milacron Corporation was the first inFection molding machinerymanufacturer to offer an -A)) )CTB1C/ inFection molding machine.The uniueCTmachine series was developed Fointly with the 0anucCorporation and was introduced in "%#H. very machine function wascontrolled by a separate electric servo5motor *rather than hydraulics+.These revolutionary molding machines offered unprecedented precisionand energy efficiency compared to their conventional hydrauliccounterparts. Today, more than $H of the molding machines Milacron

0erromatic sells are -A)) )CTB1C/.


38/47

The emerging field of -Micro 1nFection Molding/ is in its infancy today. 1nrecent years, inFection molding machinery suppliers have started tomanufacture very small scale molding machines, having clamp tonnagesas low as three tons and shot capacities less than a gram. :ow that thiseuipment is available, microscopic plastic parts can be manufacturedwith unprecedented precision. The micro molded plastic medical partsshown on the left below are molded by *iniature Tool and -iein Charlton,MA and weigh Fust ;.;;;"8 grams each. The Micro 1nFection Molding )abat (Mass )owell!s Plastics ngineering =epartment is sponsored by

/umitomo lastics *achiner".


39/47

+n the mid #!%7s$ General 6otors hairman oger Smith set out to0rethink1 the way automobiles were designed and manufactured:orking with a clean slate$ G6 rethought everything from marketing tomaterials of construction to manufacturing Plastics played a large roll

in this effort -he new automobile$ the at%rn$ was the very firstpassenger vehicle to make eCtensive use of in/ection molded0thermoplastics1 for eCterior body panels 6ost of the at%rnsbodypanels are molded from a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrilebutadiene styrene (PFA&S) -he use of the PFA&S gave designersmuch greater design freedom when compared to traditional sheet metal

body panels -he PFA&S body is also$ lightweight$ corrosion resistantand durable

-he very first at%rnwasdriven out of the Spring *ill-ennessee assembly plant

by oger Smith himself on?uly "%$ ##% 6ore than@. million at%rnshavebeen produced since thattime


40/47

Plastics have been used for telephone housings since the turn of the

last century. The early blac plastic phones were compressionmolded from thermosetting phenolic and had wall thicnesses up to"# mm. $njection molded A%& phones were introduced in the "'*s.A%& has a very high gloss, good impact resistance, and unliephenolic, could be molded in a variety of different colors. The A%&phones had wall thicnesses of about # mm. Today*s cell phones are

injection molded using a polycarbonate + A%& blend (P-A%&). Thecompact and lightweight phones of today have wall thicnesses in therange of " mm. Telephones are a good example of how plasticproducts evolve over time. reative product designers mae use ofnew plastic materials and new plastic processing technologies as theybecome available in order to improve product performance.


41/47

:ypro

The :YPB> Corporation, with headuarters in Clinton, MA, is a leadingglobal supplier of precision inFection molded assemblies and tools. Thecompany was founded in "%HH as the 0"lon roducts Corporationwithannual sales of less than Q" million. (sing borrowed funds, the companywas purchased by ordon )ankton in the "%7;!s. Today, the company hasmore than $; manufacturing facilities around the world, including facilitiesin the (?, ermany, Bussia, 1ndia, Me6ico, ungary, and China. :YPB>,sponsor of (M)!s -Precision 1nFection Molding )aboratory/, has annualsales that now

top Q#;; million. Thisyear, :YPB> will moldand assemble more than7 billion plastic parts.That is one part for every

man, woman, and childin the world.


42/47

Mico ?aufman, a Tewksbury sculptor, is mostfamous for his traditional metal artwork. As asculptor, his bron&e artworks include the-omage to 'omen/ and -1ndian Maiden/ which

are both located in )owell. e is also well knownfor his residential Inaugural *etals, includingthose of Presidents 0ord, Began and ver the past ten years, Mico

has been creating plastic artwork in thelaboratories of the Plastics ngineering=epartment at (M). The artwork is created byforming strips of molten plastic as it e6its an-e6truder/. Mico has produced more than $;plastic sculptures including the one to the right.

Mico?aufman


43/47

7er" Large9 art

In)ection *olding

This (4?Y

##;; ton clampinFection moldingmachine is beingused to mold-thermoplastic/ 9eep

'ranglerEhardtops.This is one of thelargest inFectionmolded parts evermade.


44/47

4ome of the most advanced plastic products beingmanufactured today are used in the medical industry.The angioplasty catheter is a good e6ample of a lifesaving medical device that would not be possible

without plastics.


45/47

The e6citing new materials sciencefield known as -nanoscience/ has anumber connections with plastics. 0ore6ample, nanocomposites are plastics

that are reinforced with very finelydivided and dispersed nanoclays ornanofibers. These nanocompositescan offer unprecedented mechanicalperformance and barrier properties.

The minivan step shown aboveis produced using a nanoclayreinforced thermoplastic.


46/47

The plastics industry started in the late"#;;!s with plastics produced from naturalresources. These included plastics based on

shellac, cellulose and natural rubber. As thepetrochemical industry developed in the"%;;!s, a wider variety of synthetic plasticswere introduced and production of plasticsbased on natural resources declined even

as the overall consumption of plastics rose.These synthetic plastics had moreconsistent uality and properties, and couldbe produced at a lower cost.

As the world develops, the demand for our non5renewable and limitedresources has grown rapidly. This has led to feedstock shortages and

petrochemical price increases. 1ronically, manufactures of plastics are nowturning back to natural and renewable resources for manufacturing plastics,as they did in the "#;;!s. This plastic coffee mug shown above is producedfrom poly*lactic acid+, a thermoplastic that is derived from corn. Many ofthese agricultural based plastics are also biodegradable.


47/47

Department of Plastics Engineering

The .%t%re of Plastics

As you can see from this display, P)A4T1C4 are used for almost all ofthe products we use in our daily lives. The food packaging, medical,automotive, electronics, building construction, and te6tile industries all

make e6tensive use of plastics and elastomers. The developments innew materials and process technologies that have occurred over thepast "H; years have been very significant. 6citing new developmentsand discoveries related to plastics are happening all of the time.

'hat is the future in P)A4T1C4 S :o one knows for sure. owever,

one thing is for sure. 1t is the -P)A4T1C4 :1:B4/of tomorrowthat will -shape/ the future of the plastics industry. The future is limitedonly by their imagination and creativity. 'e hope you will consider acareer as a Plastics ngineer. 0eel free to stop by the Plastics =ept.>ffice upstairs in

Documents

4 History of Plastics