The History and Future of Plastic

The History and Future of Plastic After the first forms of plastic had been discovered, the 20th century saw a revolution in plastic production in a wide variety of industries, which has continued to grow ever since. Plastic has now been around for over 100 years and is used for the majority of objects you can find around. There are endless possibilities for what it can be used for and manufactured into; however, plastic wasn’t always used the way it is today. The History of Plastic The word “Plastic” originally meant pliable and easily shaped, but now is the name for a category of materials called polymers. Over the past century and a half, humans have learned how to make synthetic polymers with strong, flexible, and lightweight characteristics to be used on a wide variety of products. The world’s first-ever man-made plastic was introduced by Alexander Parkes in 1862 at the London International Exhibition. This material was named “Parkesine” and was marketed as an alternative for ivory that Parkes discovered while trying to develop a synthetic substitute for shellac for waterproofing. This material didn’t start to show its potential until 1869, when a man named John Wesley Hyatt created an improved version of Parkesine, known as celluloid. His discovery was revolutionary as people realised new materials could be created. In 1907, Dr. Leo Baekeland created the world’s first entirely synthetic plastic called Bakelite, marking the start of the modern plastics industry. Bakelite was not only a good insulator, but it was also durable, heat resistant, suitable for mechanical mass production, and could be molded and shaped into almost anything. Plastic production increased by 300% in the United States during World War II, as many products like aircraft, ropes, parachutes, body armour and helmets required the material. Polyethylene was created in England in 1933 and was used to insulate radar cabling, providing a lightweight material to be placed on planes. Polystyrene was created as an alternative for die-cast zinc, but quickly became a replacement for rubber. Once Nylon was created, it was quickly rationed by the U.S. military for use in parachutes and ropes. As plastic became more widely used, people started to realise it could be manufactured into a wider range of products in a variety of colours and designs with a range of characteristics. Future of Plastic Plastic will continue to be critical in modern life as they are used within a wide variety of industries in a wide range of ways. Plastic production is expected to double by 2040 and increase by 2.5 times by 2050. Some scientists are beginning to explore the idea and creation of even more sustainable plastic. Some are even developing bioplastics which are made from plant crops instead of fossil fuels, to create more environmentally friendly materials. Others are working on plastics that are increasingly biodegradable. Here at Rayda, we create bespoke plastic products for a range of applications. If you have any enquiries, please contact our team today, and we will be more than happy to help.

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