Polymers have for too long been a fundamental element of our everyday lives so much in fact that examples is found almost ubiquitously. We generally have the feeling which leads us to imagine that polymers are simply plastics used for packaging, in household objects and then for making fibres, however, this is only the tip from the iceberg.

Polymers are used in many applications you will possibly not have thought much about. This website enlightens you regarding the story behind polymers and the way it’s got evolved since to serve several functions across quite a few industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans have advantage of the flexibility of polymers for centuries in the form of oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it was not before industrial revolution how the polymer industry developed. The truth is, the birth of polymer science might be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. In the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization method that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber into a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland created a resin from two very common chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The response between these chemicals paved the way for the development of a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It turned out this resin that served being a harbinger to many from the common polymers we use today. The phrase “polymer” comes from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which build means “many parts.” Polymeric substances are made of countless chemical units called monomers, that happen to be joined together into large molecular chains composed of a huge number of atoms.
Classification of polymers
On the basis of their origin, pmma thermoplastic might be classified as synthetic or natural polymers. Natural polymers are the types polymers that occur in nature understanding that that happen to be isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are some samples of natural polymers. Though these are processed to find the result, considering that the basic material comes from a natural source, these polymers are known as natural polymers. Natural rubber coming from tree latex is basically a polymer made out of isoprene units having a small percentage of impurities inside it.
Within this context, biopolymers are also significant. There is certainly large number of biopolymers like polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. These are naturally manufactured by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes way for enormous potential for the biotechnological creation of biopolymers with tailored properties ideal for high-value medical application like tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Synthetic polymers, as his or her name indicates, are synthesized within the laboratory or factory through a series of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. From your functional point of view they may be classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and synthetic fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is one such thermoplastic manufactured by the polymerization from the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is commonly called acrylic plastic and lends its properties to a various consumer product applications. Being both a thermoplastic and transparent plastic, acrylic is employed extensively within the automotive industry in trunk release handles, master cylinder, and dashboard lighting. Consumer products that possess a constituent element of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, and others.
Many of the other synthetic polymers we use within our everyday life include Nylons, used in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, used in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, used in pipes.
As a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to work with you to understand its properties being a synthetic polymer. To know more, reach out to us here.
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