History of Polymers

Question 1

Polymer was Coined by Jons Jacob Berzelius

Answer 1

1833

Question 2

Polymer was defined by a modern definition by Hermann
Staudinger

Answer 2

1920

Question 3

The Horners Company of
London recorded use of
horn and tortoiseshell as
the predominant early
natural plastic.

Answer 3

1284

Question 4

British explorers
discovered the Ancient
Mayan civilization in
Central America.

Mayans first to find application (balls made from rubber trees)

Answer 4

1500’s

Question 5

Charles Macintosh
(1766-1843) uses
rubber gum for
making waterproof
garments

Answer 5

1823

Question 6

Anselme Payen
(1795-1871)
identified a
compound extracted
from wood which he
named cellulose.

Answer 6

1838

Question 7

Eduard Simon (1789-
1856) discovered
polystyrene.

Answer 7

1839

Question 8

Charles Goodyear
discovered
______________ by
combining natural
rubber with sulfur and
heating it in 270 F

Answer 8

Vulcanization

Question 9

Goodyear patents
the vulcanization of
rubber

Answer 9

1844

Question 10

Christian Friedrich
Schonbein (1799-
1868) synthesized
nitrocellulose
(nitrated cellulose)

Answer 10

1846

Question 11

Alexander Parkes (1813-1890)
patents the first thermoplastic
(Parkesine) made by adding
plasticizer to nitrocellulose

Answer 11

1856

Question 12

Fritz Klatte discovered polyvinyl acetate and
patented the manufacturing process for PVC.

Answer 12

1912

Question 13

Leo Baekeland produced phenol-formaldehyde, the
first truly synthetic plastic, Bakelite

Answer 13

1907

Question 14

Cast with
pigments to resemble onyx, jade, marble, and amber,

Answer 14

Phenolic resin

Question 15

Viscose silk (rayon) was developed by Cross and Bevan.

Answer 15

1892

Question 16

Eugen Baumann (1846-1896) was the one of
the fist people to create polyvinyl chloride
(PVC).

Answer 16

1872

Question 17

The Hyatt brothers (John Wesley and Isaiah)
in America produced celluloid from cellulose
nitrate mixed with camphor

Answer 17

1868

Question 18

The unstable and subsequently procedure of Hyatt brothers led to the development of

Answer 18

cellulose acetate

Question 19

B. F. Goodrich discovered how to make sheets and
adhesives from poly(vinyl chloride)—and the “vinyl age”
began.

Answer 19

1926

Question 20

‘Scotch’ tape, the first transparent sticky tape invented
in US by 3M Company

Answer 20

1930

Question 21

The first industrially practical polyethylene synthesis
was discovered (again by accident) in 1933 by Eric
Fawcett and Reginald Gibson at the Imperial Chemical
Industries (ICI) works in Northwich, England

Answer 21

1933

Question 22

Melamine formaldehyde resins were
developed.

Answer 22

1933

Question 23

Wallace Carothers, working for DuPont
invented polyhexamethylene-adipamide.
DuPont named this product nylon.

Answer 23

1935

Question 24

The Wulff Brothers in
Germany produced
commercially viable
polystyrene.

Answer 24

1936

Question 25

Otto Bayer patented polyurethane.

Answer 25

1937

Question 26

Roy Plunkett, working for DuPont, accidentally discovered polytetra fluroethylene (PTFE), tramarked Teflon.

Answer 26

1938

Question 27

Polyetheylene terephthalate (PET), a saturated polyester patented by John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson.

Answer 27

1941

Question 28

the polyethylene bag makes its first appearance (Textiles, Fashion, Toys, Domestic uses)

Answer 28

1950s

Question 29

Polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottles introduced

Answer 29

1973

Question 30

Color and design

Answer 30

1960s & 70s

Question 31

High performance plastics

Answer 31

1980s & 90s

Question 32

First Blue HDPE pressure pipes for potable water introduced into UK.

Answer 32

1980

Question 33

Nanotechnology, AirbusA380, iPod

Answer 33

2000 to 2010

Question 34

Nano-Technology applied to polymer and composite applications

Answer 34

2000s

Question 35

Scientists at Rice University, Texas have created a new super polymer material that can stop a 9mm bullet and seal the hole behind it

Answer 35

Bullet Proof Polymer

Question 36

Space Flights Lightweight carbon composite materials will be crucial in the realisation of suborbital tourist spaceflights

Answer 36

Commercial

Question 37

Medical grade and implantable biomaterials such as PEEK will be used in neurological applications to help control epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and brain trauma

Answer 37

Implantable Polymers

Question 38

A polymer solar cell that can produce electricity from sunlight by the photovoltaic effect provides a lightweight, disposable and inexpensive alternative to traditional solar panels

Answer 38

Plastic Solar Cells

Question 39

Developed by the University of Sheffield to mimic haemoglobin, for use in trauma situations where blood is needed quickly

Answer 39

Plastics Blood

Question 40

Body Parts Using plastic materials such as PMMA car parts can be printed at home and doctors can produce replica livers or kidneys for transplant patients

Answer 40

3D Printed

Question 41

During the height of COVID-19, plastics companies were called upon to deliver over 50,000 bottles of hand sanitiser per week to the NHS.

Answer 41

COVID-19

Question 42

Organic light-emitting diodes are placed on plastic foil to create electronic devices with flexible displays

Answer 42

Flexible Plastic Screens

Question 43

In the future all driverless vehicles will be almost entirely constructed from plastic parts due to the light weighting properties they provide

Answer 43

Driverless Cars

Question 44

The growth will be not only from the development of new polymers, but also from the ________-and ________ modification of existing ones.

Answer 44

chemical and physical

Question 45

This will continue as long as petroleum and other feedstocks are available and as long as consumers continue to enjoy the comfort, protection, and health benefits provided by elastomers, fibers, plastics, adhesives, and coatings.

Answer 45

Polymer age

Question 46

Importance of Polymer Engg in Chemical Engg Career

Answer 46

1. Select the right material and the production process for an application. 2. Assess product liability 3. Develop and automate production techniques 4. Design for recyclability 5. Solve problems 6. Challenge and replace traditional materials

Question 47

When & Where was CHALLENGER, SPACE SHUTTLE DISASTER (Challenger STS-26)

Answer 47

January 28, 1986, Kennedy Space Center

Question 48

involves such consideration as the material properties (mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, and chemical); service conditions (e.g., operating temperature and humidity) and service life; impact on the environment and health and safety; economics; appearance (e.g., shape, color, surface finish, decoration); type of production (injection molding, extrusion, compression molding, resin transfer molding, etc.) and production-related material behavior (e.g., flow, shrinkage, residual stresses, weld lines, etc.)

Answer 48

Selection

Question 49

The disaster resulted in the death of all seven crew members on board, including Commander ? and pilot ?

Answer 49

Francis Scobee, Michael J. Smith

Question 50

The disaster apparently resulted from not choosing quite the right _______ for the fuel system

Answer 50

rubber seal

Question 51

The _________became rigid and lost its resilience/pliability at low temperatures and resulted in fuel seepage

Answer 51

O-ring seal

Question 52

The seal was made of __________, which can crystallize under stress

Answer 52

silicone rubber

Question 53

Therefore, when considering new materials, assess:

Answer 53

1. availability 2.properties 3.processability 4.suitability/functionality, even under extreme conditions 5. aesthetics and history of the product 6.environmental impact and health and safety

Question 54

Engineers are responsible to ensure that their choice of material will not endanger the user by, for example, breaking prematurely or by releasing toxic constituents or fail to perform suitably under the real conditions of use.

Answer 54

Assess product liability

Question 55

Considerations in design that have a direct bearing on product liability and safety are:

Answer 55

* Function of product * Market and sales information * Design characteristics * Test consideration * Critical parts involved * Environmental considerations * High risk uses * Reliability requirements * Maintenance and operation demands * Conformance to standards and regulatory requirements * Packaging and shipping * End-use requirements