Atlas of Polymers

The Catalogue

Every entry in the Atlas, 96 of them across seven eras, 1833 → 2020+.Browse, filter, and sort the whole archive.

96 of 96 entries

1833polymerNatural GumsThe First Chapter in Humanity's Polymer StoryDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharide 1834polymerStarchNature's Energy ReservoirDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharide 1835polymerCelluloseNature's Master BuilderDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharidecellulosic 1836polymerNatural Rubber (NR)The Resilient Material That Shaped Modern SocietyDecoding Nature's Legacynatural-rubberdiene-rubber 1839polymerVulcanized Natural Rubber (VNR)Goodyear's Sticky Path to SuccessDecoding Nature's Legacynatural-rubberdiene-rubber 1840polymerProteinsLife's Building BlocksDecoding Nature's Legacyprotein 1846polymerNitrocellulose (CN)An Explosive PhotoDecoding Nature's Legacycellulosic 1851polymerEbonite (Vulcanite)The Black GoldDecoding Nature's Legacynatural-rubberdiene-rubber 1869polymerCelluloidThe Artificial IvoryDecoding Nature's Legacycellulosic 1875polymerLigninWood's Secret GlueDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharide 1881polymerAlginateThe Gel from the SeaDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharide 1882polymerKeratinThe Protein That Armors LifeDecoding Nature's Legacyprotein 1883polymerViscose RayonNature's Makeover ArtistDecoding Nature's Legacycellulosic 1884polymerChitinThe Forgotten Champion of Natural PolymersDecoding Nature's Legacypolysaccharide 1902polymerGlucose and SucroseSweet molecules!Decoding Nature's Legacy 1907polymerBakeliteThe Material of a Thousand UsesThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersphenolic-aminoplast 1908polymerCellulose XanthateThe Golden Revolution in Textile HistoryThe Birth of Synthetic Polymerscellulosic 1912polymerCellophaneTransparent RevolutionThe Birth of Synthetic Polymerscellulosic 1913polymerPolyvinyl Acetate (PVAc)Adhesive That Bound the Modern WorldThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersvinyl-polymer 1915polymerPolybutadiene (BR)The Synthetic Rubber That Bounced Through HistoryThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersdiene-rubber 1916polymerPolyisoprene (IR)Nature's Bouncing WonderThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersdiene-rubber 1920conceptThe Revolution of Macromolecular Theory.The Birth of Synthetic Polymers 1924polymerMelamine & Urea Formaldehyde (M/UF)Unsung Heroes of Polymer WorldThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersphenolic-aminoplast 1927polymerAlkyd ResinsThe Polymer That Painted the Twentieth CenturyThe Birth of Synthetic Polymerspolyester 1929polymerPolyacrylic Acid (PAA)The Love Affair with WaterThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersacrylic 1930polymerPolyacrylonitrile (PAN)The Fiber That Became the Skeleton of FlightThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersacrylic 1931polymerPolychloroprene (CR)The Rubber That Defied the Great DepressionThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersdiene-rubber 1932polymerPolyvinyl Chloride (PVC)The Accidental RevolutionThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersvinyl-polymer 1933polymerPolymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)The Crystal-Clear RevolutionThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersacrylic 1933polymerPolystyrene (PS)The Versatile Veteran of the Polymer WorldThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersstyrenic 1933polymerPolyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC)The Wrap That Wouldn't Wash OffThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersvinyl-polymer 1935polymerPolyethylene (PE)The Accidental Wonder That Changed Our WorldThe Birth of Synthetic Polymerspolyolefin 1936conceptThe Carothers EquationWhen Polymers Cross the LineThe Birth of Synthetic Polymers 1937polymerPolyurethane (PUR)The Polymer That Dreams Are Made OfThe Birth of Synthetic Polymerspolyurethane 1938polymerPolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)A Slippery DiscoveryThe Birth of Synthetic Polymersfluoropolymer 1939polymerNylon (PA66)The Synthetic Fiber That Revolutionized Fashion and IndustryThe Wartime Innovation Periodpolyamide 1940conceptFrom Random Walks to Universal Laws in Polymer ScienceThe Wartime Innovation Period 1941polymerStyrene-Acrylonitrile (SAN)The Clear, Tough Cousin That Paved the WayThe Wartime Innovation Periodstyrenicacrylic 1942polymerPolyethylene Terephthalate (PET)The Bottle RevolutionThe Wartime Innovation Periodpolyester 1943polymerThe Silicon (Si) RevolutionFrom Sand to Space SuitsThe Wartime Innovation Periodsilicone 1943polymerUnsaturated Polyester (UP)a Fiberglass RevolutionThe Wartime Innovation Periodpolyester 1944polymerAcrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)The Oil-Resistant WonderThe Wartime Innovation Perioddiene-rubberacrylic 1944polymerPolyethylene Glycol (PEG)Stealth Polymer That Revolutionized MedicineThe Wartime Innovation Periodpolyester 1946polymerEpoxy ResinThe Molecular GlueThe Post-War Boomepoxy 1947polymerPolyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)The Piezoelectric PerformerThe Post-War Boomfluoropolymer 1948polymerAcrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)The Plastic That Built Our WorldThe Post-War Boomstyrenicdiene-rubberacrylic 1950conceptConfiguration vs. ConformationArchitecture of MoleculesThe Post-War Boom 1953conceptDNA and RNANature's Information ArchitectsThe Post-War Boom 1954polymerPolypropylene (PP)The Plastic That Bent the RulesThe Post-War Boompolyolefin 1955polymerPolyisopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)The Post-War Boomacrylicstimuli-responsive-polymer 1956polymerEthylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA)The Polymer That Cushioned the WorldThe Post-War Boomvinyl-polymerpolyolefin 1956polymerPolyacetal (POM)Revolutionizing PrecisionThe Post-War Boompolyketone 1958polymerPolycarbonate (PC)The Transparent!The Post-War Boompolycarbonate 1959polymerStyrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR)The Rubber That Kept the World RollingThe Post-War Boomdiene-rubberstyrenic 1960polymerPolyisobutylene (PIB)The Invisible Guardian of Modern GlassThe Post-War Boompolyolefin 1961polymerHydrogelsThe Polymers That Learned to Hold WaterThe Post-War Boom 1961polymerChitosanNature's Armor Turned Medical MarvelThe Engineering Polymers Erapolysaccharide 1964polymerPolyimide (PI)The Golden Guardian of the Space AgeThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyimide 1965polymerPolyether Ether Ketone (PEEK)A Marvel Soars Above the RestThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyketone 1966polymerPolyphenylene Oxide (PPO)The Heat-Defying PolymerThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyketone 1967polymerThermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)The Chameleon PolymerThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyurethanethermoplastic-elastomer 1968polymerPolybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)The Electric InsulatorThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyester 1968conceptThe UCST/LCST ConceptWhen Polymers Choose to Mix or PartThe Engineering Polymers Era 1969polymerStyrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS)The Molecular Bridge BuilderThe Engineering Polymers Erastyrenicthermoplastic-elastomer 1970polymerPolybutylene (PB-1)The Rise and Fall of a Promising PolymerThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyolefin 1971polymerAramid Fibers (Kevlar)BulletproofThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyamide 1973polymerPolyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)The Spoon Slayer!The Engineering Polymers Erapolyketone 1974polymerLiquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs)DanceThe Engineering Polymers Eraliquid-crystal-polymer 1975polymerPolyetherimide (PEI)The Amber Guardian of the Electronics AgeThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyimide 1976polymerPolyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)Nature's Plastic FactoryThe Engineering Polymers Erabiodegradable-polyester 1976polymerPolysulfone (PSU) & Polyethersulfone (PES)Medical GuardiansThe Engineering Polymers Erapolysulfone 1977polymerPolyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)The Dissolving WonderThe Engineering Polymers Eravinyl-polymer 1978polymerPolyamideimide (PAI)The Polymer That Rewired ElectronicsThe Engineering Polymers Erapolyimide 1982polymerPolylactic Acid (PLA)Nature's Answer to the Plastic CrisisThe Specialty Polymers Agebiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 1983polymerThermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs)When Rubber Learned to RecycleThe Specialty Polymers Agethermoplastic-elastomer 1984polymerPolyether Block Amide (PEBA)The Flexible FriendThe Specialty Polymers Agepolyamidethermoplastic-elastomer 1985polymerPolycaprolactone (PCL)The Healing HelperThe Specialty Polymers Agebiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 1986conceptGlass Transition Temperature (Tg)Challenger tragedyThe Specialty Polymers Age 1987polymerPolyketones (PEKK & PAEK)Super-PolymersThe Specialty Polymers Agepolyketone 1988polymerPolyethylene Naphthalate (PEN)The Barrier BreakerThe Specialty Polymers Agepolyester 1990polymerPolyglycolic Acid (PGA)Vanishing SutureThe Specialty Polymers Agebiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 1992polymerPolybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT)Against PollutionThe Specialty Polymers Agebiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 1993polymerPolybutylene Succinate (PBS)When Soil Became a Polymer's Best FriendThe Specialty Polymers Agebiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 1996polymerPolybenzimidazole (PBI)No BurningThe Specialty Polymers Agepolyimide 1997polymerPolyaniline (PANI)When Plastic Learned to Conduct ElectricityThe Specialty Polymers Ageconducting-polymer 2000polymerPolythiophene (PT)Plastic that eats sunlight for breakfastThe Smart Materials Eraconducting-polymer 2001polymerSelf-Healing PolymersThe Materials That Mend ThemselvesThe Smart Materials Era 2002polymerCyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)The Ultimate TransparentThe Smart Materials Erapolyolefin 2004polymerShape Memory Polymers (SMPs)The Materials That RememberThe Smart Materials Erastimuli-responsive-polymer 2006polymerPolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)When Bacteria Became Polymer EngineersThe Smart Materials Erabiodegradable-polyesterpolyester 2009polymerConjugated Microporous Polymers (CMPs)Swiss CheeseThe Smart Materials Eraporous-polymer-networkconducting-polymer 2012polymerMetal-Organic Framework Polymers (MOFs)Swiss Army KnifeThe Smart Materials Eraporous-polymer-network 2014polymerRecyclable ThermosetsThe Polymer That Finally Learned to Let GoThe Smart Materials Eravitrimer-crosslinked-network 2015polymerVitrimersThe Wolverine of PolymersThe Smart Materials Eravitrimer-crosslinked-network 2020polymerAI-Designed PolymersWhen Machines Learned to Build MoleculesThe Smart Materials Era 2020polymerQuantum Dot PolymersWhere Nano Meets GlowThe Smart Materials Era