SOUL/ALLOY Science

History of Plastics

1835–1982: inventions and commercialization that reshaped society

General-purpose plasticsEngineering plasticsSuper engineering plastics

Showing 18/18 plastics

General-purpose plastics

Materials widely used for everyday goods, packaging, and containers

Materials for mechanical and electrical parts that demand strength and durability

Materials that perform in extreme environments such as aerospace and medicine

1907

Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite. Its use in telephones and electrical parts helped launch the plastics era.

1935

Wallace Carothers invented nylon, which expanded from fibers into a broad range of mechanical applications.

1978

PEEK brought heat- and chemical-resistant plastics into aerospace and medical applications.