Sofia Martinez
The creation of plastic has revolutionised the world, with the 20th and 21st centuries being dubbed the 'Plastics Age'. The development of plastics started with the use of natural materials that exhibited plastic properties, such as rubber, nitrocellulose, collagen, and shellac. The first man-made plastic was Parkesine, invented by Birmingham-born artisan-cum-chemist Alexander Parkes in 1855 and patented in 1862. It was an affordable substitute for ivory, made from cellulose treated with nitric acid to create pyroxillin, which was then dissolved in alcohol. However, the first fully synthetic plastic, containing no molecules found in nature, was Bakelite, invented by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First man-made plastic | Parkesine, invented by Alexander Parkes in 1855 and patented in 1862 |
| First fully synthetic plastic | Bakelite, invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland |
| First synthetic polymer | Invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt |
| First plastic discovery | Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first polymerised between 1838-1872 |
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What You'll Learn
- The first plastic was Parkesine, invented in 1855 and patented in 1862
- Bakelite was the first fully synthetic plastic, invented in 1907
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first polymerised in 1872 but not commercially produced until the 1920s
- Waldo Semon invented plasticised PVC in 1926
- Polystyrene was the first thermoplastic, manufactured in 1931
The first plastic was Parkesine, invented in 1855 and patented in 1862
Parkesine was made from cellulose treated with nitric acid to create pyroxillin, which was then dissolved in alcohol. This resulted in a transparent, flexible material that could be moulded, shaped, and coloured when heated. Upon cooling, it hardened into a durable material.
Parkesine's versatility meant it could be used for a variety of purposes, including buttons, combs, and handles for cutlery. However, it was John Wesley Hyatt who improved upon Parkesine by adding camphor, making it thinner and more malleable. This new material, celluloid, could be used for piano keys, as a substitute for linen in clothing, and even for movie film.
While Parkesine was the first man-made plastic, it was derived from a combination of natural cellulose and synthetic materials. It would not be until 1907 that Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland developed the first fully synthetic plastic, Bakelite, which revolutionised the plastics industry.
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Bakelite was the first fully synthetic plastic, invented in 1907
The creation of Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, in 1907 marked the beginning of the Polymer Age. Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, which he named after himself and the heat-curing process it required.
Bakelite was a significant innovation because it was the first synthetic plastic that could be mass-produced. It was durable, heat-resistant, and an excellent insulator, making it ideal for electrical applications. Baekeland's invention sparked a consumer boom, as it could be easily mass-produced and used to create affordable yet desirable products.
The development of Bakelite was a result of Baekeland's search for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator that was in limited supply. By combining phenol and formaldehyde under heat and pressure, Baekeland created a hard, mouldable material that could be shaped into almost anything.
Baekeland's success with Bakelite inspired the chemical industry to develop other synthetic plastics, leading to the creation of new polymers and the establishment of a rapidly growing industry. Bakelite's commercial success and versatility demonstrated the potential of synthetic plastics, and it earned its place as a National Historic Chemical Landmark.
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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first polymerised in 1872 but not commercially produced until the 1920s
The development of plastics started with the use of natural materials that exhibited plastic properties. The first synthetic polymer was invented in 1869 by John Wesley Hyatt, who created a plastic that could be crafted into a variety of shapes and made to imitate natural substances like tortoiseshell, horn, linen, and ivory. However, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – a commonly used synthetic plastic polymer – was first polymerised in 1872 by German chemist Eugen Baumann. Baumann's discovery came after an extended investigation and experimentation. The polymer appeared as a white solid inside a flask of vinyl chloride that had been left on a shelf sheltered from sunlight for four weeks.
Following Baumann's discovery, no one mastered the use of PVC in commercial applications until 1913 when German inventor Friedrich Heinrich August Klatte patented the material. Klatte's patent was then picked up by companies around the world, who began experimenting with PVC. In the early 20th century, the Russian chemist Ivan Ostromislensky and Fritz Klatte of the German chemical company Griesheim-Elektron both attempted to use PVC in commercial products, but difficulties in processing the rigid, sometimes brittle polymer thwarted their efforts. Waldo Semon and the B.F. Goodrich Company developed a method in 1926 to plasticize PVC by blending it with various additives, but it wasn't until the 1950s that PVC was widely used. By this time, PVC production was soaring around the world, with companies testing out revolutionary uses for the material in inflatable structures and fabric coatings.
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Waldo Semon invented plasticised PVC in 1926
The creation of plastics has revolutionised the world, freeing people from the constraints of natural resource scarcity. The development of plastics started with natural materials that exhibited plastic properties, such as shellac and chewing gum. The next step involved the chemical modification of natural materials, and finally, the creation of completely synthetic materials. The Plastics Age of the 20th and 21st centuries saw a boom in affordable, mass-produced goods.
In 1926, Waldo Semon, an American chemist, invented plasticised PVC. Working at The BF Goodrich Company in Akron, Ohio, Semon was tasked with developing an adhesive for bonding rubber to metal. During his experiments, he heated PVC in a solvent, creating a substance that was both flexible and elastic. This discovery, made "by accident", as Semon later claimed, led to the commercial success of PVC.
Semon's initial attempts with crude rubber and a German prototype of synthetic rubber were unsuccessful. He then turned to experimenting with synthetic organic polymers, including PVC, which at the time was considered a refuse material. By heating the polymer, he created a jelly that was elastic after cooling but lacked adhesive properties. Recognising the potential of this discovery, Semon continued his experiments, ultimately plasticising the substance.
Semon's invention of plasticised PVC transformed PVC from a rigid polymer into a mouldable material. This breakthrough led to a wide range of commercial applications, with BFGoodrich producing and marketing products such as shock-absorber seals, electric-wire insulation, and coated-cloth goods. By the 1940s and 1950s, BFGoodrich had lost its leadership in the industry as "vinyl" became commonplace. Today, vinyl, or PVC, remains the second most common plastic in the world, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually.
Waldo Semon's contributions to the field of plastics extended beyond his invention of plasticised PVC. He went on to become the Director of Research at BFGoodrich, leading teams that discovered other families of plastics. In total, Semon earned 116 U.S. patents, including inventions in thermoplastic polyurethane and synthetic "natural" rubber. His work paved the way for the widespread use of plastics, a material that has become an essential part of modern life.
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Polystyrene was the first thermoplastic, manufactured in 1931
The creation of plastics has been an ongoing process, with natural materials being chemically modified to create plastic-like substances. The development of plastics started with natural materials that exhibited plastic properties. Modern synthetic plastics were invented around 100 years ago. One of the earliest examples of plastic was Parkesine, invented by Alexander Parkes in 1855 or 1856 and patented in 1862. It was made by treating cellulose with nitric acid to create pyroxillin, which was then dissolved in alcohol. This material could be molded, shaped, and coloured, and it hardened upon cooling.
However, the first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented by Leo Baekeland in 1907. Bakelite was created by combining formaldehyde and phenol under heat and pressure. It was durable, heat-resistant, and ideal for mass production, leading to a consumer boom in affordable and desirable products.
Polystyrene, specifically, is a synthetic polymer made from styrene monomers, which are liquid hydrocarbons derived from petroleum. It is one of the most widely used plastics today, with several million tonnes being produced annually. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed, and it is naturally transparent, though it can be coloured. It has a low melting point and is inexpensive, making it suitable for a variety of applications such as packaging, containers, bottles, and disposable cutlery.
Polystyrene was first manufactured as a thermoplastic by the company I. G. Farben in Ludwigshafen, Germany, around 1931. They developed a process to extrude polystyrene through a heated tube and cutter, producing polystyrene pellets. This polystyrene was hoped to be a replacement for die-cast zinc. The ability to mould and shape polystyrene upon heating makes it a versatile material for various applications.
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Frequently asked questions
The first man-made plastic, Parkesine, was created in 1855 by Birmingham-born artisan-cum-chemist Alexander Parkes. It was patented the following year, in 1856, and was made from cellulose treated with nitric acid to create pyroxillin, which was then dissolved in alcohol.
The first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907.
The first plastic, Parkesine, was made from cellulose treated with nitric acid to create pyroxillin, which was then dissolved in alcohol.
