By Matt Nelms and Daniel Crawford Period 4 Chemistry

 Plastic – synthetic material made from polymers  Polymer – Chemical compound made up of many small molecules in a repeating structure that forms a larger molecule  Created using chemical process called polymerization  Used for packaging, housing of electronics, car parts, and in medical equipment Chemical Composition of the plastic Nylon

English Scientist Alexander Parkes discovers residue left after solvent in his experiment evaporated which he names Parkesine 1850s John Wesley Wyatt learns how to make plastic by dissolving cellulose nitrate in a minimum of solvent 1860s Scientists find easier/ better ways to make plastic using chemicals like Formaldehyde 1860s-early 1900s Cellulose acetate was developed as a safer material to make plastic out of compared to cellulose nitrate 1927 modern thermoplastics polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystryrene, and polymethyl methacrylate developed for use in World War I polypropylene developed, stronger material that could make up more tools/objects than any other plastics at the time, allowed for mass production 1940s, 1978

1. Separate crude oil into fractions in an oil refinery by boiling it 2. Take naphtha fraction and split it into smaller hydrocarbon molecules (ex ethylene) 3. Allow ethylene molecules to link together into a polymer chain which looks like powder (called polymerization) 4. If it is a thermoplastic, melt the powder and bend it into the shape needed 5. If it is a thermoset, melt the powder and pour it into a mold

 In order to create the plastic, hydrocarbonic molecules need to be bonded together  Once bonded together and melted, the material reacts by hardening and becoming a plastic  Chemists research new polymers that could increase the biodegradability of the plastic in order to slow global warming

 Natural(using plants) vs Synthetic(using fossil fuels)  Groups - Acrylic, polyester, silicon, polyurethanes, halogenated plastics(classified by polymers used in creating the plastic)

 Produce specific types of plastics for companies  Research types of polymers that will increase biodegradability and strength of plastics  Requires expensive machinery that has the power to boil elements with very high boiling points  Example of a plastic engineering company: Plenco, TRU Plastics

 Biodegradability – plastics take a very long time to decompose which causes global warming  Toxicity – some plastics are made from toxic chemicals like adipates and are used in food packaging

 Plastics are materials used in technology and packaging that are made of many polymers  Plastics were first discovered in the 1850s by Alexander Parkes (Parkesine)  Plastics are made by distilling crude oil and boiling fractions to get hydrocarbonic atoms which are bonded together into a powder which is melted and cooled to become a plastic

 "How Plastic Is Made." PlasticsEurope. Web. 20 Mar  "Use of Plastics." PlasticsEurope. Web. 20 Mar  "NYLON 6/6." NYLON 6/6. Web. 20 Mar  "History of Plastics." SPI. Web. 20 Mar