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The history of plastic - By Alternative Plastics LtdSince the beginning of the human race, we’ve tinkered with natural objects and materials to adapt them to our purposes. So the advent of plastic was bound to be an exciting time…
Parkes was just one man caught in the rush to create materials that were cheaper and better than natural products like rubber and ivory. In 1866 John Hyatt blended collodion and camphor to create an ivory substitute – celluloid – that would later be used to make billiard and table tennis balls, movie film, and toys. Scientists were searching for man-made replacements for everything from silk to upholstery material. Commercial plastics Bakelite, Nylon, Acrylic, Perspex, and Cellophane soon followed. By now, plastics were playing an increasingly significant role in commercial industry all over the world.
Like all the best inventions, Polyethylene was an accidental discovery. It was created by two scientists attempting to meld ethylene and benzaldehyde. A dramatic reaction between the two caused the test-tube to spring a leak, and the change in conditions caused the compound caused to set. The two substances had, in fact, polymerized – creating polyethylene. This new plastic, which could be formed into exceptionally thin, light shapes, was full of potential. Turned into wire insulation and lightweight radars, it made itself extremely useful during the War. And now? Polyethylene is possibly the world’s most common plastic: you’ll find it in your fridge as food packaging, as plastic bags, Tupperware boxes, and much, much more. |
Case Studies ![]() ![]() Last month we helped one of our customers with a project to build a submarine sphere. Our customer had cast the acrylic sphere in two halves but asked us to structurally bond the two halves together. More...![]() As part of a Sheffield City refurbishment scheme, we were asked to structurally bond eight massive acrylic beams 5400mm long and 150mm thick, in the town hall square. More...![]() |