1750's
1751
Charles-Marie de la Condamine (1701-1774) describes collection and use of rubber in Ecuador the first complete account of rubber technology
1760's
1760
Enoch Noyes opens small shop to make combs using cattle horn
1770's
1770
Dubet (in France) describes method of drawing out filaments from the gum of dead silkworms
1780's
1790's
1798
Louis Robert invents papermaking machine in France
1800's
1802
John Gough (1757-1825) discovers that natural rubber produces heat when stretched and becomes hard (crystallized) when cooled under extension
1810's
1818
McPherson Smith invents first screw press for flattening horn comb plates
1820's
1823
Macintosh uses rubber gum to waterproof cotton and creates the "macintosh" (raincoat)
1828
Friedrich Wöhler (1800-1882) synthesizes urea by reacting lead cyanate with ammonium hydroxide
1830's
1832
Jöns Jacob Berzelius (1779-1848) uses the term polymeric (parallel to isomeric) to describe two compounds with the same empirical formula but different molecular weights. His example was incorrect, but the work polymer gradually came into use
1833
Henri Braconnet (1780-1855) in France prepares Xyloidine (nitrocellulose) by reaction of nitric acid with starch, linen, and sawdust
1838
Théophile-Jules Pelouze (1807-1867) in France treats paper with nitric acid to get a nitrocellulose-like material
1839
Charles Goodyear discovers the process for natural rubber which leads to 'platen' and then 'press moldings'
1839
German apothecary Eduard Simon notes polymerization of styrene on exposure to sunlight
1839
Anselme Payen (1795-1871) in France isolates cellulose in wood
1840's
1840
Keller in Saxony (Germany) used mechanical wood pulp (ground wood) to make paper
1842
Louis Schwabe (1798-1845) in England suggests filament spinning machine
1843
Thomas Hancock (1786-1865) discovers vulcanization of rubber to produce hard rubber (Ebonite)
1843
William Montgomerie discovers gutta-percha
1843
Alfred Critchlow moves to Florence, Massachusetts, where he develops presses and tools to mold shellac and gutta purcha
1844
Charles Goodyear patents vulcanization of rubber and markets Vulcanite in USA
1844
John Mercer (1791-1866) in England discovers mercerizing process by action of caustic soda on cotton textile fibers
1845
Bewley designs extruder for gutta percha
1845
Christian Frederik Schonbein is the first to accomplish nitration of cellulose using nitric and sulfuric acids
1847
Jöns Jacob Berzelius produces first condensation polymer, polyester, from glycerin (propanetriol) and tartaric acid
1850's
1850
First submarine telegraph cable in gutta percha laid between Dover and Calais
1850
F. Scott Archer in England and Gustave LeGray in France independently invent collodion emulsion base for light sensitive chemicals on a photograhic plate
1852
Alexander Parkes (1813-1890) exhibits first pyroxylin lacquer at London Exposition
1855
Alexander Parkes (1813-1890) in England receives first patents for cellulose plastic
1855
George Audemars in Switzerland prepares silk-like fiber of nitrocellulose from mulberry leaves and rubber
1856
Alfred Critchlow (1813-1881) and Samuel Pack discover shellac
1856
Alexander Parkes (1813-1890) uses spirits of camphor as nitrocellulose solvent
1856
Green in England receives first patent for pyroxylin-coated leather-substitute fabric
1856
William Henry Perkin (1838-1907) discovers first aniline dye (), as the product of his efforts to synthesize quinine from coal tar derivative.
1857
Schwietzer in Germany discovers solubility of cellulose in ammoniacal solution of copper
1858
Burgess and Watt are first to make ground wood-pulp paper in the United States
1859
Aleksandr Butlerov (1828-1886) described formaldehyde plastics
1859
Vulcanized rubber invented by Thomas Taylor in England
1860's
1860
Greville Williams (1929-1910) distilled isoprene from natural rubber in which he suggested eight hydrogen atoms were bound to five carbon atoms
1860
Hydrolysis of esters prepared by Berthelot and de St. Gilles
1862
Alexander Parkes displays items made of Parkesine at the International Exhibition in London, where he receives a bronze medal for 'Excellence of Product'
1863
Friedrich Bayer et Compagnie established to produce aniline dyestuffs
1863
Alexander Parkes (1813-1890) introduces castor oil as solvent for cellulose nitrate
1863
Marcellin Berthelot (1827-1907) presents first general discussion of polymerization of polymers to Chemical Society of Paris
1863
Phelan and Collender offer a $10,000 prize for development of substitute materials of ivory to be used for the manufacture of billiard balls. John Wesley Hyatt begins experiments in hope of winning prize
1865
Alexander Parkes patents Parkesine and exhibits new material at the Royal Society of Arts, London
1866
The Hyatt Billiard Ball Co. in Albany, New York is founded by John Wesley Hyatt and Peter Kinear who use a moldable composition material to manufacture billiard balls
1866
Alexander Parkes and Daniel Spill open The Parkesine Co., Ltd. at Hackney wick, London. The company fails and is liquidated in 1868.
1867
George A. Waters of Troy, New York, builds laminated paper boat, a forerunner of reinforced plastic boats
1868
John Wesley Hyatt (1837-1920) develops cellulose nitrate moldings
1869
Synthetic styrene first prepared by Marcellin Berthelot
1869
Daniel Spill founds the Xylonite Company in the closed Parkesine Works, and modified the Parkesine formula.
1869
Charles Burroughs founds the Burroughs Co. to develop and produce machinery for the manufacture of Celluloid.
1870's
1870
John Wesley Hyatt (1837-1920) establishes Albany Dental Plate Co. (later Celluloid Manufacturing Company)
1871
Smith & Locke develops mechanical devices for metal casting
1872
John Wesley Hyatt (1837-1920) patents process for molding cellulose rod stock
1872
Celluloid Manufacturing Company moves from Albany, New York to Newark, New Jersey
1873
Thomas Taylor founds the Vulcanized Fiber Co. of Pennsylvania
1874
Count Hilaire de Chardonnet (1839-1924) invents nitrocellulose 'silk' (rayon)
1875
Daniel Spill (1832 1887) in England commercializes Xylonite, a nitrocellulose plastic
1878
Tilton & Cook Co. develops first hydraulic press
1878
Joseph W. Swann (1828-1914) in England develops a carbon filament for incandescent electric lamp
1879
First commercial screw type extruder made by Francis Shaw, Ltd. in England
1880's
1887
George Eastman (1854-1932) develops cellulose nitrate film
1880
Fashion for long hair leads to popularity of cellulose nitrate combs, replacing horn
1880
First commercial screw type extruder made in the U.S. by John Royle & Sons, Inc. for processed rubber tubing
1883
Count Hilaire de Chardonnet (1839-1924) patents nitrocellulose fibers, also called nitrocotton or artificial silk
1885
George Eastman (1854-1932) patents machine for producing continuous photographic film based on cellulose nitrate.
1890's
1890
First synthetic fiber, Chardonnet silk, enters commercial production
1890
Thermoforming introduced and used to make baby rattles from cellulose nitrate
1892
Cross and Bevan developed Viscose silk
1892
Toothpaste first packed in plastic squeeze tubes by Washington Wentworth in Sheffield, England
1893
Leo Baekeland (1863-1944) invents "Velox" paper
1894
Cross and Bevan develop process for industrial manufacture of cellulose acetate
1984
Fiberloid Company of Maine formed by Edwin F. Coffin to manufacture nitrocellulose plastic material called Fiberloid
1897
Adolph Spitteler (1846-1940) discovers casein plastics, known as ""artificial horn
1898
Polycarbonates first described by Einhorn
1898
Beginning of mass production of gramophone records from shellac
1899
Smith publishes patent on phenol formaldehyde composition
1899
Krische and Spittler in Germany awarded patent for deriving casein plastic from milk
1900's
1900
Casein introduced by The International Galalith Gesseschaft Hoff & Co. at the Paris Universal Exhibition
1901
Otto Rohm (1876-1939) develops solid transparent polymers of acrylic acid
1901
Bernard Doyle (1873-1949) founds the Viscoloid Company in Leominster, Massachusetts to produce cellulose nitrate plastics
1903
Arthur Etchengrun (1867-1949) prodcues first cellulose acetate
1904
F.S. Kipping (1863-1949) determines that silicone is analagous to carbon as a base for polymerization
1904
E.L. Gaylor designs injection machine to mold amber/shellac compounds
1907
Leo Baekeland (1863-1944) develops phenolic resin thermoset
1907
Rohm & Haas Company founded in Esslingen, Germany
1908
Jacques Edwin Brandenberger (1872-1954) patented a method for the continuous production of transparent film made of cellulose which he named Cellophane
1908
George Eastman (1854-1932) introduces cellulose acetate safety film
1909
Erinoid develops casein plastics
1910's
1910
Daniel J. O'Conor makes first laminate - soon to become Formica
1910
Jonas Aylsworth founds Condensite Company of America
1911
Charles Cross and Ernest Bevan discover Viscose rayon process
1911
Lionel B. Kavenaugh (1889-1991) establishes Standard Tool & Dye Company
1912
Fritz Klatte discovers vinyl acetates
1913
Daniel J. O'Conor and Herbert A. Faber found Formica Insulation Company
1913
L. V. Redman established Redmanol Chemical Products Company to produce a plastic (Redmanol) similar to Bakelite
1914
Kodak introduces plastic camera
1914
Charles Burroughs develops compression presses for Bakelite
1915
E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company acquires Arlington Company
1915
England's Queen Mary orders casein jewelry at viewing products at the British Industries Fair
1916
E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company's Fabrikoid combines with Fairfield Rubber
1916
Rolls Royce in England begins to use phenol formaldehyde in its car interiors
1918
Stoke Rubber Company develops early mold-heating method with circular steel block heated on stove
1918
Hans John prepares resins by reacting urea with formaldehyde and patents the urea-formaldehyde resin system
1919
Sam Foster establishes Foster Manufacturing Company
1919
Rohm & Haas first US company to manufacture sodium hydrosulfite, marketed as Lykopon, an essential chemical for textile dying
1919
Arthur Eichengrun (1867-1949) introduces cellulose acetate molding powder
1920's
1920
George Scribner (1891-1962) founds the Boonton Molding Company
1920
Hermann Buchholz designs injection machines for cellulose acetate
1921
William Grant joins Sam Foster to form Foster Grant Company
1921
Harry M. Dent founds Durez Plastic & Chemicals Co. in North Tonawanda, New York, as General Plastics, Inc.
1922
Herman Staudinger (1881-1965) becomes first to use term ""macromolecules
1922
William Grote imports Buckholz injection molding presses from Germany
1922
The Bakelite Corporation formed from a merger of the General Bakelite Company, the Condensite Company, and the Redmanol Chemical Products Company
1923
Fritz Pollack invents urea formaldehyde (UF)
1923
Condensite Company develops compounds allowing molded parts to be discharged hot from the mold
1924
Term 'Rayon' adopted as name for artificial silk
1924
Deadly explosion at Nixon Nitration Works in Nixon (now Edison), New Jersey
1924
Celanese Corporation first in U.S. to commercially produce acetate fibers
1925
E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company acquires Viscoloid Company
1925
Trade journal 'Plastics' launched
1926
Waldo Semon (1898-1999) of BF Goodrich develops polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
1926
Chicago Molded Products Corp. produces the first phenolic washing machine agitators
1926
Eckert & Ziegler patent first commercial modern plastics injection molding machine
1927
General Electric Co. introduces Glyptal, the first alkyd plastic
1927
Bakelite patents expire, stimulating market for thermosets
1927
Celanese Corporation absorbs Celluloid Company
1927
American Catalin Corporation founded in New York, N.Y.
1928
John Bolten develops hard rubber combs
1929
Bayer (I.G. Farben) patents Buna-S rubber for tires
1929
British Plastics Federation founded
1930's
1930
Foster Grant develops hand injection molding machines
1930
Plax Corporation starts work on the first blow molded 'flexible bottle' made from cellulose plastics
1930
3M Company invents Scotch Tape, the first transparent sticky tape
1931
Rohm and Haas produces Plexiglas (polymethyl acrylate
1931
General Electric Co. forms separate department for plastics
1931
Corning Glass experiments with silicone polymers
1931
Rohm and Haas Company first manufactures Plexiglas acrylic resins for coatings and safety glass
1931
Foster Grant begins the first injection molding and commercial marketing of a product, the cellulose acetate comb
1932
Commercial process developed for cast polymethyl acrylate
1933
CIBA and Cyanamid develop melamine resins
1933
Polythene invented by R.O. Gibson of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI)
1933
Union Carbide exhibits Vinylite House at Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition
1934
Carlton Ellis patents polyesters
1934
Foster Grant develops first hydraulic injection molding machine
1934
Borg-Warner purchases Marsene Corporation (renamed Marbon) of Gary, Indiana and enters plastics market
1935
James D. Mcdonald develop automatic transfer-molding machine
1935
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company's Wallace Carothers (1896-1937) patent polyamide 'nylon'
1936
Naugatuck Chemical Company introduces styrene called Victron
1936
Reed-Prentice develops first commercial plastics injection molding machine
1936
Introduction of commercial polystyrene
1937
I.G. Farben's Otto Bayer invents polyurethane
1937
Monsanto develops polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for auto safety glass
1937
Dow Chemical Corporation and the Bakelite Corporation start the manufacture of styrene resins
1937
Paul Flory (1910-1985) uses a chain-transfer to explain the kinetics of free radical polymerization
1937
Society of the Plastics Industry Incorporated
1937
Columbo and Pasquetti in Italy produce first twin-screw extruder machine
1938
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company's Roy Plunkett discovers Teflon
1938
Monsanto Chemical Co. purchases Fiberloid Corporation
1939
Swiss chemist Pierre Castan patents epoxy resins
1939
New York World"s Fair showcases new developments in plastics
1939
S. Buchsbaum and Company introduces vinyl elastic plastics with Elastiglas suspenders, belts, and garters
1939
William and Betty Lester found Pyro Plastics Corporation of Union, New Jersey, a producer of custom-made parts for injection-molded plastics
1940's
1940
Dow Chemical Co. introduces Saran resins
1940
I.G. Farben develops polyurethanes
1940
Blow-molded Christmas ornaments by Plax Corp. begin to replace glass ornaments
1941
Paul Flory (1910-1985) develops a theory of polymer networks, which he uses to explain the phenomenon of gelation and the significance of the gel
1942
Polyethylene (PE) invented in the UK
1942
DME Co. introduces first standard mold base
1942
Plastics Pioneers Association founded
1942
Harry Coover (1917-2011) of Eastman Kodak discovers 'Super Glue' (methyl cyanoacrylate) during research into transparent materials for use as gun sights. It is not marketed as an adhesive until 1958
1943
CIBA develops epoxy adhesives
1943
Corning Glass joins Dow Chemicals to produce silicones
1943
Cleworth Publishing publishes first issue of ""Plastics World
1943
Ivar T. Quarnstrom (1900-1987) develops a practical system of preengineered basic tooling for the plastics moldmaking industry
1944
Norwegian immigrant and entrepreneur Finn Haakon Magnus founds International Plastic Harmonica Corporation (Magnus Harmonica corp.) in Linden, New Jersey
1944
Islyn Thomas forms the Thomas Engineering Company, Plastics Parts Development Corp., and then the Thomas Manufacturing Corp.
1944
Hercules Powder Co produces sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose (soluble cellulose gum) and cumene peroxide
1944
George Lubin and H. Greenberg of Bassons, Inc. produce reinforced plastic hoops by filament winding
1945
Virgil E. Meharg and Paul D. Zottu introduce dielectric preheating
1945
Cellulose propionate introduced
1945
E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company invents 'Lycra,' based on polyurethane
1946
Waldes Kohinoor Inc. introduces Nylon zipper
1946
Jim Hendry builds a 2-oz screw injection machine
1946
First polyethylene hinges molded by Shaw Insulator Co.
1946
Chrysler Motors introduces acrylic molded taillights
1946
The U.S. Navy receives its first fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) boat
1946
Ritepoint, Inc. offers line of cigarette lighters with clear injection molded acrylic reservoirs
1946
First National Plastics exhibition (NPE) held in New York City attracting 87,000 visitors
1947
CIBA joins Shell and Devoe Reynolds on epoxy development
1947
Earl S. Tupper (1907-1983) invents Tupperware
1947
Rockford Machine Tool Co.'s Hyjector becomes the first fully automatic transfer molding machine to use electric preheat
1947
Badge Plastics Co. extrudes phenolic clarinet bodies
1948
Selmer manufactures first plastic clarinet which becomes popular for students and in marching bands
1948
George de Mestral (1907-1990) in Switzerland invents Velcro after seeing burrs in his socks and his dog's hair.
1949
Polystyrene large volume commodity resin leads to styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
1949
Nash automobile incorporates three large polystyrene (PS) instrument panel overlays
1949
Shaw Insulator Co. develops cuboid blowmolded bottles for the U.S. Medical Corps
1949
Lego begins producing plastic interlocking bulding blocks
1949
James Wright of GE invents Silly Putty after mixing silicone oil with boric acid. Silly Putty acts like a rubber but can also be stretched and formed
1950's
1950
R.W. Canfield develops the BNR injection blowmolder for Plax Corp
1950
Wheaton Glass Co. initiates development of injection blow molding containers smaller than 1 quart
1950
Epoxy plastics synthesized
1951
Rayon output peaks at 51 million pounds per year, and American Viscose merged with Sylvania Corp
1951
Ohio Gallery of Fine Arts opens exhibition ""Design in Plastics,"" with designs by Donald Desky, Charles Eames, Raymond Loewy, George S. Nalle, Jr., and George Nelson
1951
L. Glazer of Revell, Inc. begins producing injection molded hobby aircraft kits to replace those of balsa wood
1951
IBM installs its first mainframe 702 computer at Monsanto, initiating the introduction of the computer into the plastics industry
1952
High impact rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used for construction applications
1952
First reciprocating screw developed for injection molding machines
1952
Bilnor Corp. and U.S. Fiber and Plastics demonstrate PVC liners for swimming pools
1953
Using Karl Ziegler's catalysis system for polypropylene, Bayer AG invents polycarbonate high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
1953
Development of pultrusion process
1953
Reed-Prentice builds the first 600-ton clamp injection molding machine
1953
Chevrolet begins production of its plastic-bodied Corvette, which used 41 FRP parts (17 of which were major assembly components) at weight savings of 190 lbs over steel
1953
Hermann Staudinger wins Nobel Prize for Chemistry for the study of polymers
1954
Milan's Giulio Natta develops catalysis system for polypropylene (PP)
1954
Bayer and Monsanto establish Mobay
1954
Frigidaire begins color craze with availability of large appliances
1955
Daniel Fox at General Electric discovers a polycarbonate resin thermoplastic that looks like acrylic but is much more durable. A patent is filed in 1955 and it is given the brand name 'Lexan.'
1955
Introduction of first Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) refrigerator door panel
1955
Mobay Chemical Co. introduces polyurethanes in the U.S.
1955
Velcro is patented
1956
First acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) telephone
1956
Monsanto's plastic 'House of the Future' debuts at the National Plastics Exposition, and subsequently is installed at Disneyland
1956
Montecatini exhibits isostactic polyproylene film and monofilaments at the National Plastic Exposition in New York
1957
Development of first blown film extrusion line
1957
Stanley Kaminsky develops plastic welding
1957
High density polyethylene (HDPE) introduced
1957
Union Products of Leominster, Massachusetts begins production of pink flamingo lawn ornaments
1957
Reinforced plastic luggage introduced
1957
Russia launches the Sputnik satellite, launching the 'Space Race,' which stimulates new uses for plastics over the next several decades
1957
Chavannes and Fielding invent 'bubble wrap' and later form the Sealed Air company to market the new product
1957
Plastic baggies and sandwich bags on a roll are introduced
1957
Knoll Associates introduces 'tulip chair' designed by Eero Saarinen with fiberglas-polyester shell
1958
New products include high-density polyethylene (HDPE) baby bottles and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bread bags
1958
General Electric introduces Lexan polycarbonate for camera bodies and gears
1958
The Wham-O Toy Company introduces the plastic hula-hoop, selling 100 million units within two years
1959
Thermoplastic polyurethane developed
1959
Polyurethane (PUR) foam used in furniture and bedding
1959
Mattel, Inc. launches Barbie doll created by Ruth Handler
1960's
1960
Liquid Nitrogen Processing Corp (LNP) pioneers development of reinforced thermoplastics
1960
U.S. Department of Defense creates the Plastics Technical Evaluation Center (PLASTEC)
1960
E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company launches ethylene-vinyl acetate co-polymers
1961
Composite aircraft skin panels developed
1961
Avison introduces a polypropylene copolymer for impact applications
1961
Foster Grant introduces its new nylon with display of 5-foot diameter propeller
1961
First portable hair dryers go on sale
1961
Plastics Institute of America (PIA) chartered
1962
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company patents polyamide films and varnishes
1962
Ed Hurley of Marbon discovers electro-plating on plastic
1962
Shell Chemical Co. (US) begins massive program to promote HDPE bottles for milk
1962
Simplex (France) introduces bicycles using acetal gear changer
1962
Eastman Chemical introduces polyallomers
1962
Silicone gel breast implants pioneered
1963
Du Pont introduces Corfam, a polyester reinforced polyurethane, also known as a poromeric synthetic leather
1963
Drums manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
1963
Influential, but short-lived, impact polystrene (PS) thermoformed Paxton cigarette package introduced at National Plastics Exposition
1963
Edward Schmitt and Rocco Polistina file a patent for the first absorbable synthetic sutures, made of polyglycolic acid, a key plastic in tissue engineering
1964
General Electric Co. patents polyphenylene oxide (PPO)
1964
Marbon constructs the Cycolac Research Vehicle CRV); the first plastic prototype car
1965
Union Carbide patents polysulphone
1965
General Electric introduces Noryl, a modified polyphenylene oxide
1965
First examples of electroplated ABS exhibited at National Housewares Manufacturers Association exhibit
1965
Union Carbide introduces Parylene
1965
Stephanie L. Kwolek and the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company develop Kevlar, first used in tires
1965
ICI produces PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) resistant chemical and engineering polymer
1966
Milk bottles manufactured from molded high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
1966
Plastics fiber optics introduced
1966
Blow molded fuel tanks introduced
1966
Plastic produce bags on a roll are introduced in grocery stores
1967
Fuel tanks and gas pipes are manufactured from high-density polyethylene HDPE
1967
Bayer AG acquires Monsanto's interest in Mobay
1967
Marbon introduces all-plastic refrigerator
1967
Zanotta of Italy introduces the Blow Inflatable Armchair, made of PVC and designed by Jonathan De Pas, Donato D'Urbino and Paolo Lomazzi
1968
White Motors introduces first all-fiberglass truck cab
1968
Marbon renamed Borg Warner Chemical
1969
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin wear Lexan helmets for walk on moon, where they place a nylon flag
1970's
1970
Graphite golf clubs developed
1970
Coca-Cola test markets world's first plastic carbonated beverage bottle, an Acrylonitrile (AN) bottle by Monsanto.
1970
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company produces experimental beverage bottle from biaxially oriented PET plastics (patent in 1973).
1970
First U.S. blow molded bottles for edible oils are made of PVC
1971
Celanese ends its production of cellulose acetate
1972
Burger 'clam shell' container manufactured from polystyrene (PS)
1973
Martin Cooper of Motorola designs first mobile phone
1974
Oxychem introduces flame retardant Dechlorane Plus
1974
Retail giants such as Sears, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, etc. begin switch to plastic merchandise bags
1975
Robert Langer and M. Judah Folkman use polymers to isolate chemicals that prevent the formation of blood vessels, suggesting a new way to attack cancer.
1977
Amoco introduces polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottle
1977
Plastic grocery bags introduced to the supermarket industry as an alternative to paper bags
1979
Malden Mills produces Polarfleece (now Fleece), synthetic clothing more lightweight than polyester
1980's
1980
First production of linear low density polyethylene
1982
First artificial heart, made mainly of polyurethane, implanted in a human
1982
Kroger and Safeway grocery chains start to replace paper bags with polyethylene 't-shirt' type shopping bags
1983
Monsanto patents Santophrene
1983
Plastic Swatch watch made of 51 mainly plastic components
1984
Test flights of first all-plastic aircraft, the Beechcraft Starship 1
1986
Robert Langer and Joseph Vacanti demonstrate that liver cells grown on a plastic framework can function after being transplanted into animals, beginning the new field of tissue engineering.
1987
General Electric purchases Borg Warner Chemical
1987
In Germany BASF produces a polyacetylene with twice the electrical conductivity of copper
1988
Introduction of triangular recycling symbols relating to plastics
1988
Andy Warhol's Bakelite jewelry collection, auctioned after the artist's death, sells for record prices at Sotheby's
1990's
1990
ICI introduces Biopol, the first commercially available biodegradable plastic
1990
Warner Lambert develops Novon, a starch that is also an injection moldable plastic
1991
Dyson launches new vacuum cleaner design in Japan
1994
Smart Car with lightweight flexible integrally colored polycarbonate panels introduced
1996
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves polymer wafer implants for treating brain cancer
1997
Bayer AG acquires Monsanto's styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) business