Mosongo Moukwa
PolyOne Designed Structures and Solutions LLC, USA
Title: Brief history of plastics and how they conquered the world
Biography
Biography: Mosongo Moukwa
Abstract
On February 28, 1935, Wallace Carothers, a scientist at the DuPont Experimental Station, developed and produced the first synthetic man-made fiber. This was the birth of Nylon, starting a technology revolution and creating the ‘plastic age’. Although, nylon stockings were introduced at the 1939 New York fair, a whole year of testing took place before they were sold in stores. Science has continued to develop plastics that changed our lives, from nylon, through polypropylene to Kevlar. Eighty years after the nylon revolution, science has improved polymerization synthesis and processing techniques, unleashing a flood of products, including consumer goods and industrial products. As plastics have become valuable, scientists are also attempting to make them safer and more sustainable. Some innovators are developing bioplastics, which can be biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Plastics composites, used in transportation, provide lighter materials and contribute to fuel efficient. Market players are working with researchers, institutes and universities to develop new and innovative materials in both existing and emerging markets that can meet the growing demand from application industries. This presentation will provide a brief history of plastics and how they came to conquer the world. It will review progress in polymer innovation from historical perspective and key commercial polymers. Key synthetic routes that have impacted the development of polymers will be examined and some commercial applications for plastics will be discussed. The discussion will recognize that plastics are not perfect but that they are an important part of our future.rnrn