Showing papers on "Commodity plastics published in 1990"
TL;DR: In the last few decades, polymer science and the use of polymeric materials has grown tremendously as mentioned in this paper, and a substantial change of direction has occurred in polymer research, focusing from polymers of high volume and relatively low return to materials possessing a high degree of sophistication, i.e. tailor-made materials that are sometimes termed "specialty polymers".
Abstract: In the last few decades, polymer science and the use of polymeric materials has grown tremendously. In the early phase of development, emphasis was placed on commodity plastics; large volume, relatively low cost materials. During this period, polymer production was perfected, monomer syntheses were optimized and the availability of other monomers was secured. Since the middle 1970’s, a substantial change of direction has occurred. This was first noticed in polymer research. Emphasis shifted from polymers of high volume and relatively low return to materials possessing a high degree of sophistication, i.e. tailor-made materials that are sometimes termed “specialty polymers”. These changes required and still require scientists that are knowledgeable in the broad subject of macromolecular science.
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