What is the "polymer of the 20th century"?

Question

I've been asked to determine the polymer of the 20th century for chemistry. I've come up with a few candidates (but I won't put them here to sway anyone's answer), however I'd like to know what other people (especially from from different backgrounds think.

By the way, by "polymer of the 20th century" I mean one that was actually invented during sometime that century, not just discovered (like DNA was).

Answer 1

Currently I would have to go with elastomers such as synthetic rubber. Much of the rubber used in the United States today is a synthetic variety called styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR).

During World War II, hundreds of thousands of tons of synthetic rubber were produced in government controlled factories. After the war, private industry took over and changed the name to styrene-butadiene rubber. Today, the United States consumes on the order of a million tons of SBR each year.

If not snthetic rubber, then I would awad second place to plastics. Americans consume approximately 60 billion pounds of plastics each year. The two main types of plastics are thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics soften on heating and harden on cooling while thermosets, on heating, flow and cross-link to form rigid material which does not soften on future heating. Thermoplastics account for the majority of commercial usage.

Among the most important and versatile of the hundreds of commercial plastics is polyethylene. Polyethylene is used in a wide variety of applications because, based on its structure, it can be produced in many different forms. The first type to be commercially exploited was called low density polyethylene (LDPE) or branched polyethylene. This polymer is characterized by a large degree of branching, forcing the molecules to be packed rather loosely forming a low density material. LDPE is soft and pliable and has applications ranging from plastic bags, containers, textiles, and electrical insulation, to coatings for packaging materials.

Another form of polyethylene differing from LDPE only in structure is high density polyethylene (HDPE) or linear polyethylene. This form demonstrates little or no branching, enabling the molecules to be tightly packed. HDPE is much more rigid than branched polyethylene and is used in applications where rigidity is important. Major uses of HDPE are plastic tubing, bottles, and bottle caps.

Other forms of this material include high and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes. HMW and UHMW, as they are known. These are used in applications where extremely tough and resilient materials are needed.

Third place would have to go to synthetic fibers although they are derived from other previously mentioned polymers. Fibers represent a very important application of polymeric materials, including many examples from the categories of plastics and elastomers.

Man-made fibers include materials such as nylon, polyester, rayon, and acrylic. The combination of strength, weight, and durability have made these materials very important in modern industry.

Synthetic polymers have been developed that posess desirable characteristics, such as a high softening point to allow for ironing, high tensile strength, adequate stiffness, and desirable fabric qualities. These polymers are then formed into fibers with various characteristics.

Nylon (a generic term for polyamides) was developed in the 1930's and used for parachutes in World War II. This synthetic fiber, known for its strength, elasticity, toughness, and resistance to abrasion, has commercial applications including clothing and carpeting. Nylon has special properties which distinguish it from other materials. One such property is the elasticity. Nylon is very elastic, however after elastic limit has been exceeded the material will not return to its original shape. Like other synthetic fibers, Nylon has a large electrical resistance. This is the cause for the build-up of static charges in some articles of clothing and carpets.

From textiles to bullet-proof vests, fibers have become very important in modern life. As the technology of fiber processing expands, new generations of strong and light weight materials will be produced.

Answer 2

DNA

Edit: Oh sorry, guess you should have said that to begin with. I still stand by my answer regardless of the arbitrary restrictions you've placed on the question. The effect of DNA on our world has been profound, and it would be a shame to discount it as the polymer of the twentieth century merely because it wasn't crafted by some human means.

Answer 3

Wood,Wood is good. Wood is still used to make paper and to build most homes in North America. The discovery of DNA,no too bad either. We rely on wood and paper products more than ever before in human history. The book,news paper,housing-construction,
toilet paper-tissues,comic book & magazine industries are directly dependant on wood.

Answer 4

Kevlar. What more needs to be said. Iconic. But mommy, WHY did they shoot at each other back then? PS if you want different backgrounds ask it on a variety of categories sociology, business, philosophy, language, medicine.

Answer 5

I second mymyspacepop's answer. The discovery of DNA is more important than nylon, kevlar, carbon fiber, etc.

Answer 6

How about PVC - polyvinyl chloride?

Plastic.

A Yahoo search for PVC yields 42 million hits.
Very pervasive.