THE USES OF PLASTIC ARE MANIFOLD, BUT AS IT IS ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE, IT IS TIME TO FIND WAYS TO GET RID OF IT.
THE TERM PLASTICS came to be used only around 1925, but what we call plastic today was invented either in 1839, 1862 or 1909, depending on how you to choose to define it. In 1839, German chemist Eduard Simon discovered polystyrene when he isolated it from natural resin. However, it was in 1922 that another organic chemist, Hermann Staudinger, realised what Simon had discovered was a long chain polymer. Staudinger would go on to win a Noble Prize for his work on polymers while polystyrene would find its use in synthetic tyres and Styrofoam (yes, the same stuff you get your coffee in).
Many chemists consider English inventor Alexander Parkes to have invented the first real plastic compound, which he named Parkesine. He was experimenting on rubber, and he combined various components to come up with the new compound. However, Parkesine was not very stable, and it did not find too many applications, and by all accounts, it did not prove to be a commercial success, though it was soon followed by other materials that took their inspiration from it.
The first all-synthetic plastic is generally credited to Leo H. Baekeland, a BelgianAmerican inventor, who invented Bakelite for electrical insulation. Unlike the variety of plastics that preceded it, Bakelite had no natural molecules, and it is deemed as the first, true modern plastic.
Plastic started to gain popularity for all sorts of applications post World War II because it has two great qualities. One, as the name suggests, it can be moulded into any shape (the word is apparently derived from Latin plasticus or Greek plastikos, both of which mean ‘able to be moulded’). It can be moulded to produce bags, combs, toothbrushes, electric wire insulation, straws and cups, buckets, pipes, water bottles and almost anything. It can also be used for building roads.
This story is from the July 01, 2018 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 01, 2018 edition of Business Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"The essence of the Trump administration will be transactional”
Global investor, analyst, and best-selling author Ruchir Sharma decodes why Donald Trump won the elections, what India should do, the risks, and more
MEDIA Juggernaut
THE JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN RELIANCE INDUSTRIES AND DISNEY CREATES AN ENTITY THAT OWNS MORE THAN 100 TV CHANNELS AND WILL HOLD A MONOPOLY ON CRICKET BROADCASTS, POSITIONING IT TO NEGOTIATE AGGRESSIVELY WITH ADVERTISERS
'Gap between haves and havenots is narrowing"
Tanvee Gupta Jain, Chief India Economist of UBS Securities India, on India's consumption story and the risks to the Indian economy
Rural Hope, Urban Fears
Industry enthused by signs of a revival in rural demand, but fresh concerns emerge over urban consumption
CRASH LANDING
The Supreme Court's order to liquidate Jet Airways, after prolonged insolvency proceedings, brings the focus back on the actual effectiveness of IBC
Indictment and its Aftermath
US prosecutors' decision to press charges against Gautam Adani and others in a case of alleged bribery could hit the group's ambitious expansion plans
"Moving to cloud helped us grow❞
What was the problem you were grappling with?
She's Got Time
MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING WATCH CONNOISSEURS, SEEKING OUT BOTH JEWELLED AND TECHNICAL WATCHES FOR THEIR STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
RISING STAR
PARUL GULATI IS a name that's been steadily gaining prominence in the Indian entertainment industry after she appeared on season 2 of Shark Tank in 2023. She has become a multifaceted personality who effortlessly transitions between acting and entrepreneurship.
Building on a Legacy
WHEN ZAHABIYA KHORAKIWALA stepped into her role as Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals over a decade ago, she confronted formidable challenges that have since turned into achievements.