Biopolymers, Natural Polymers And Synthetic Polymers Discussed
Polymers have for very long been an integral part of our everyday lives so much in fact that examples are available almost ubiquitously. We have an impression that leads us to trust that polymers are merely plastics used for packaging, in household objects as well as making fibres, however is the tip in the iceberg.
Polymers are used in many applications you might not have thought much about. This website enlightens you about the story behind polymers and exactly how it has evolved since to serve several functions across a host of industries.
Origin of polymer science
Humans have taken benefit from the flexibility of polymers since way back when as oils, tars, resins and gums. However, it wasn’t prior to the industrial revolution how the polymer industry started to realize. In reality, the birth of polymer science may be traced back to the mid-nineteenth century. From the 1830s, Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization process that transformed the sticky latex of natural rubber in to a useful elastomer for tire use. In 1909, Leo Hendrik Baekeland created a resin from two common chemicals, phenol and formaldehyde. The reaction between these two chemicals led the way for the development of a resin, called Bakelite, named after him. It was this resin that served like a harbinger to numerous in the common polymers that individuals use today. The saying “polymer” is derived from the Greek roots “poly” and “mer,” which put together means “many parts.” Polymeric substances consist of countless chemical units called monomers, which are gathered into large molecular chains consisting of thousands of atoms.
Classification of polymers
On the basis of their origin, acrylic glass might be viewed as synthetic or natural polymers. Natural polymers are those polymers that occur in nature and that which are isolated from plant and animal resources. Starch, cellulose, proteins, natural rubber etc. are a few examples of natural polymers. Though these are processed to get the product, since basic material develops from a natural source, these polymers are known as natural polymers. Natural rubber via tree latex is basically a polymer made from isoprene units which has a tiny proportion of impurities inside it.
Within this context, biopolymers are also significant. There is certainly huge variety of biopolymers like polysaccharides, polyesters, and polyamides. They are naturally manufactured by microorganisms. The genetic manipulation of microorganisms makes means for enormous possibility of the biotechnological creation of biopolymers with tailored properties suited to high-value medical application like tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Synthetic polymers, as their name indicates, are synthesized within the laboratory or factory through a number of chemical reactions from low molecular weight compounds. Through the functional perspective they are often classified into four main categories: thermoplastics, thermosets, elastomers and synthetic fibres. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is certainly one such thermoplastic manufactured by the polymerization in the monomer, methyl methacrylate (MMA). PMMA is often called acrylic plastic and lends its properties into a various consumer product applications. Being both a thermoplastic and transparent plastic, acrylic can be used extensively within the automotive industry in trunk release handles, master cylinder, and dashboard lighting. Consumer products that have a very constituent component of acrylic plastic include aquariums, motorcycle helmet lenses, paint, furniture, picture framing, and umbrella clamps, and others.
A few of the other synthetic polymers that individuals utilization in our everyday life include Nylons, used in fabrics and textiles, Teflon, used in non-stick pans and Polyvinyl Chloride, used in pipes.
As being a leading manufacturer of SUMIPEX® PMMA polymer, Sumitomo Chemical is glad to help you out understand its properties like a synthetic polymer. To understand more, get in touch with us here.
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