Chloe Zhang
The existence of plastic in medieval times is a fascinating topic. While the medieval world did not have access to the synthetic polymers that are derived from petroleum oil and used to create modern plastics, they did have natural polymers available to them, such as rubber and casein plastic, which could have been used to create a biodegradable polymer-based bag. The process of creating plastic may have involved super-heating crude oil or boiling plant resin with certain rocks to create vulcanized rubber. Medieval societies may have also experimented with milk and acid to create casein plastic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic in medieval times | Natural polymers such as rubber, silk, wool, DNA, cellulose, and proteins were available to medieval people |
| Synthetic polymers such as nylon, polyethylene, polyester, and epoxy were not available | |
| Natural substances such as horn and leather were used as plastic | |
| Casein plastic could have been obtained from milk and acid | |
| Formaldehyde could have been obtained through methanol from pomace distillation | |
| Phenol could have been obtained from the pyrolytic destruction of coal | |
| Bakelite, a hard plastic, could have been produced | |
| Producing a modern plasticizer would require a very precise distillation process, a reliable heat source, and means of measuring pressure and temperature |
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What You'll Learn
Natural polymers, such as rubber, were available to medieval people
While plastic in the modern sense was not available during the medieval period, natural polymers such as rubber were available to medieval people. Natural polymers occur in nature and can be extracted. They are often water-based. Examples of natural polymers include silk, wool, DNA, cellulose, and proteins. Pectin and rubber are also natural polymers that were available to medieval people.
Rubber, also known as India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, caucho, or caoutchouc, is a natural polymer of isoprene (polyisoprene) and an elastomer (a stretchy polymer). It is harvested mainly in the form of latex from the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) or other rubber tree species. The latex is a sticky, milky, and white colloid that is collected by making incisions in the bark and collecting the fluid in vessels through a process called "tapping." Manufacturers refine this latex into rubber that is ready for commercial processing.
It is important to note that rubber trees are tropical species that would not have grown well in medieval Europe. However, there were other potential sources of natural rubber available to medieval people. One such source was the Russian dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz), a perennial species native to parts of Central Asia, including Kazakhstan and its neighboring regions. This plant can be tapped to produce a latex that functions like rubber. With good ocean-going ships, medieval people could have accessed this natural rubber and utilized it for various purposes.
The use of natural rubber in medieval times would have had limitations due to the lack of vulcanization, a process that enhances the durability of rubber. Without vulcanization, natural rubber is susceptible to melting in hot weather and cracking in cold weather. However, it is possible that alchemists or individuals with knowledge of chemistry could have experimented with rubber and discovered ways to improve its durability. For example, mixing sulfur with rubber creates a more durable material.
In conclusion, while synthetic plastics and polymers were not available during the medieval period, natural polymers such as rubber were accessible to medieval people through trade and exploration. These natural polymers had potential applications and could have been utilized in various ways by medieval societies, despite some limitations in durability due to the lack of vulcanization and other advanced processing techniques.
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Casein plastic could be made from milk and acid
While plastic was not a part of medieval life, a specific type of plastic can be made from milk and acid. Casein, a protein found in milk, can be separated from the other components of milk through an ultrafiltration process. This process causes casein molecules to unfold and bind to one another, forming long chains. These chains intertwine to create a mesh-like structure that strengthens the milk's gel matrix, making casein useful for a variety of purposes, including making cheese and protein supplements.
To make casein plastic, milk is heated above the boiling temperature of water (212°Fahrenheit or 100°Celsius). This causes the milk's fat to coagulate, and the casein protein to coagulate as well due to the presence of acetic acid (vinegar), which lowers the pH of the milk to below 4.6. The whey proteins in the milk do not coagulate at this pH as they do not contain phosphorus. The solids formed in this process are then removed and dried, after which they can be kneaded into a smooth ball and moulded into different shapes. These shapes are then left to dry for several days until they harden into a plastic-like material.
In the early 1900s, casein plastic was used to make buttons, jewellery, and other small items. In 1911, German printer Adolph Spitteler and his associate W. Krische patented a process for hardening casein with a formaldehyde solution, creating a form of plastic that could be dyed, washed, ironed, and dry-cleaned. This type of casein plastic was used for buttons, knitting needles, fountain pens, and hair combs, among other things.
Today, casein is still used to make plastics for items like fountain pens, and there is ongoing research into using casein for edible biopolymer food packaging. Casein-based plastics offer a natural alternative to polyester resins and oil-based polymers, and innovations in manufacturing processes may make solid casein milk plastic a more viable option for environmentally-friendly materials.
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Formaldehyde could be obtained from methanol
It is unlikely that plastic was made in medieval times. While natural polymers such as horn and leather were used, the process of refining petroleum to produce plastic feedstocks was not available. Synthetic polymers are derived from petroleum oil and were made by scientists and engineers.
Formaldehyde, an organic compound with the chemical formula CH2O, can be obtained from methanol. It is synthesized via the partial oxidation of methanol using a mixed oxide iron molybdate catalyst (Fe2(MoO4)3–MoO3). This process is energy-efficient and is used commercially. The reaction is optimally carried out at a temperature range of 800 to 900 Kelvin, and oxygen availability is crucial.
Methylotrophic microbes can convert methanol into formaldehyde and energy via methanol dehydrogenase: CH3OH → CH2O + 2e− + 2H+. Formaldehyde is an important intermediate product in the catalytic conversion of methanol to olefins (MTO). It is also produced industrially by the catalytic oxidation of methanol, a process discovered by August Wilhelm von Hofmann in the 19th century.
Formaldehyde is a colorless, pungent gas that polymerizes into paraformaldehyde when condensed into a liquid. It is stable at around 150 °C. It is a precursor to many other materials and compounds and is used in the production of industrial resins. It is often used as a building block in the synthesis of specialized and industrially significant compounds.
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Phenol could be obtained from coal
Plastic is a synthetic polymer derived from petroleum oil. While the Romans unknowingly made plastic, it is unlikely that medieval societies had the means to produce plastic. However, they did have access to natural polymers such as horn, leather, rubber, silk, wool, and DNA.
Now, to answer your question about phenol: Phenol is a high-value compound in the chemical industry, and it can be obtained from coal tar, a by-product of coal pyrolysis. Coal tar can be categorized into low-temperature coal tar (LTCT), medium-temperature coal tar (MTCT), and high-temperature coal tar (HTCT), depending on the coking temperature. LTCT typically contains approximately 20-30% phenolic compounds, and efficient extraction of these compounds is essential for the effective utilization of LTCT.
One method to extract phenol from coal tar is through imidazolium-based ionic liquid. Specifically, the imidazolium-based ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium lactate ([EMIM][LAC]), can be used as an extractant to separate phenol from model oil. The formation of a hydrogen bond between the IL and phenol makes [EMIM][LAC] a suitable extractant. This extraction method has been validated through FT-IR spectra, which confirmed the chemical bond between [EMIM][LAC] and phenol.
Another approach to recovering phenol from coal tar processing wastewater involves using a ternary extraction system with tributylphosphane/diethyl carbonate/cyclohexane. This method takes advantage of the molecular bond formed between tributylphosphine and diethyl carbonate to facilitate the recovery of phenol. The absorbances of oxygen-containing functional groups in the FTIR of modified asphalt (MA) range from 1200 to 1650 cm-1, which correspond to the ring-breathing vibrations of hydrocarbons and pyridines.
Additionally, phenol can be prepared through various chemical reactions, such as the oxidation of cumene, which is derived from the reaction between benzene and propene in the presence of H3PO3. The oxidation of cumene with oxygen and alkali yields cumene hydroperoxide, which, upon hydrolysis, produces phenol. This is an industrial method for preparing phenol.
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Plastic was not made by refining petroleum
It is a common misconception that plastic is made by refining petroleum. While it is true that petroleum is used in the production of plastic, it is not the only source, and the process is more complex than simply refining petroleum.
Petroleum is a product derived from crude oil, which is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds. To be used in the creation of plastic, the crude oil must first be heated in a furnace and sent to a distillation unit, where it is separated into lighter components called fractions. One of these fractions, naphtha, is crucial for plastic production. However, this is merely a feedstock or raw material for plastic, not the final product itself.
The feedstocks are then used in the polymerisation process, where they are converted into higher molecular weight hydrocarbons (polymers). This occurs when monomers, the basic building blocks of polymers, are chemically bonded into chains. These polymers are what we recognise as plastic.
It is worth noting that plastic can also be created from other natural materials such as cellulose, coal, natural gas, salt, and even bacteria. For example, in 2019, a researcher from the University of Sussex created a transparent plastic film from fish-skin waste and algae, demonstrating the potential for biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics.
While the exact process of creating plastic may have been beyond the technological capabilities of medieval societies, it is intriguing to speculate about the potential uses of manufactured polymers during that era. The Romans, for instance, had access to natural polymers in the form of horn and leather, which they used for a variety of purposes, unknowingly possessing a primitive form of plastic.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, they had plastics in the Middle Ages, such as horn and leather.
Natural polymers, such as silk, wool, DNA, cellulose and proteins, were used to make plastic.
Plastic was made by super-heating crude oil in a large furnace.
Casein plastic could be made from milk and acid (white vinegar or diluted muriatic acid).
No, the plastic bags would have been biodegradable and would have been more like a balloon than a modern grocery bag.
