Atlas of Polymers

Families & Lineages

The Atlas arranged by kinship: chemical families sharing one backbone chemistry, the polymerization lineages that build them, and the pioneers who made chains make sense.

Chemical Families

1833familyThe PolysaccharidesNature's Oldest Polymers1833–19617 members 1835familyThe CellulosicsWood and Cotton, Reinvented1835–19126 members 1836familyNatural Rubber & Its KinThe Tree That Bounced1836–18513 members 1836familyThe Diene RubbersSpring Steel Made of Carbon1836–19599 members 1913familyThe Vinyl PolymersOne Double Bond, a Thousand Different Lives1913–19775 members 1927familyThe PolyestersA Dynasty Written in Ester Bonds1927–200612 members 1929familyThe AcrylicsGlass That Won't Break and Paint That Won't Yellow1929–19557 members 1933familyThe StyrenicsThe Family with a Benzene Ring on Its Shoulder1933–19695 members 1935familyThe PolyolefinsAn Empire Built from Nothing but Carbon and Hydrogen1935–20026 members 1939familyThe PolyamidesThe Chains That Hold Hands1939–19843 members 1964familyThe PolyimidesThe Plastics That Laugh at Fire1964–19964 members 1967familyThe Thermoplastic ElastomersRubber You Can Melt and Remould1967–19844 members 1976familyThe Biodegradable PolyestersPlastics Designed to Disappear1976–20067 members 1997familyThe Conducting PolymersPlastics That Carry a Current1997–20093 members

Lineages of Synthesis

1907lineageCondensation PolymersBuilt Slowly, Two Ends at a Time1907–201528 members 1913lineageAddition PolymersChains That Grow One Grab at a Time1913–200226 members 1915lineageCoordination PolymerizationThe Catalyst That Choreographs the Chain1915–20026 members

The Pioneers

1920pioneerHermann StaudingerThe Man Who Saw Giant MoleculesThe Birth of Synthetic Polymers1881–1965 1935pioneerWallace CarothersThe Architect of the First Synthetic FibersThe Birth of Synthetic Polymers1896–1937 1953pioneerKarl Ziegler & Giulio NattaThe Partnership That Tamed the OlefinsThe Post-War Boom1898–1973 · 1903–1979