polymer summary

Cellulose acetate, synthetic compound derived from the acetylation of the plant substance cellulose. Cellulose acetate is spun into textile fibres known variously as acetate rayon, acetate, or triacetate. It can also be molded into solid plastic parts such as tool handles or cast into film for

Polyethylene (PE), light, versatile synthetic resin made from the polymerization of ethylene. Polyethylene is a member of the important family of polyolefin resins. It is the most widely used plastic in the world, being made into products ranging from clear food wrap and shopping bags to detergent

Karl Ziegler was a German chemist who shared the 1963 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with the Italian chemist Giulio Natta. Ziegler’s research with organometallic compounds made possible the industrial production of high-quality polyethylene. Natta used Ziegler’s organometallic compounds to make

Silicone, any of a diverse class of fluids, resins, or elastomers based on polymerized siloxanes, substances whose molecules consist of chains made of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms. Their chemical inertness, resistance to water and oxidation, and stability at both high and low temperatures