Plastic Timeline

Nitrocellulose

1845

Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid, or to a mixture of nitric acid and another acid, usually either hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, or to another powerful nitrating agent.

Celluloid

1860

Celluloids are a class of materials produced by mixing nitrocellulose and camphor, often with added dyes and other agents.

Bakelite

1907

Bakelite was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde.

Rayon

1908

Rayon is a regenerated cellulose fiber that is made from natural sources of cellulose, such as wood and related agricultural products.

Cellophane

1920

Cellophane is a thin, transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose. Its low permeability to air, oils, greases, bacteria, and water makes it useful for food packaging. Cellophane is highly permeable to water vapour, but may be coated with nitrocellulose lacquer to prevent this.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

1926

Polyvinyl chloride is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer.

Neoprene

1931

Neoprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene.[1] Neoprene exhibits good chemical stability and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range.

Nylon

1935

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers, based on aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides. Nylon is a thermoplastic silky material that can be melt-processed into fibers, films, or shapes.

Polyethylene

1936

Polyethylene is the most common plastic in use today. It is a linear, man-made, addition, homo-polymer, primarily used for packaging (plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes, containers including bottles, etc.).

Teflon

1938

Teflon is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications. The commonly known brand name of PTFE-based formulas is Teflon by Chemours.

Tupperware

1949

Tupperware is a home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products for the kitchen and home. In 1942, Earl Tupper developed his first bell-shaped container; the brand products were introduced in the year 1948 to the public.

Kevlar

1966

Kevlar is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora.

Polyester amides

1979

Making an amide is one of the processes which require ammonia as a reactant. There are other processes of preparing an amide such as from acid anhydrides and acyl chloride.