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19th Century. Thomas Hancock patents the vulcanization of rubber in Britain immediately followed by Charles Goodyear in United States. Parkesine, the first member of the Celluloid class of compounds and considered the first man-made plastic, is patented by Alexander Parkes.
The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes who publicly demonstrated it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London. The material, called Parkesine, was an organic material derived from cellulose that, once heated, could be molded and retained its shape when cooled.
How did the invention of plastic reshape our material world? Starting with celluloid in 1869, this transformative substance has evolved from a simple ivory substitute to a cornerstone of modern manufacturing. This article travels through time to chart this evolution and the profound impact of plastic on today's world.
In 1862, the first artificial plastic, called Parkesin, was created by Alexander Parkes. Many people celebrated this discovery as it meant that items made from ivory and tortoiseshell were no longer considered luxury for a select few but they’d become more accessible.
When Was Plastic Invented? Plastic, as a fully synthetic material, was invented in 1907. This is when Belgian-American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland created Bakelite, the first plastic made entirely from synthetic components, not derived from any plant or animal matter.
A key breakthrough came in 1907, when Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland created Bakelite, the first real synthetic, mass-produced plastic. Since Baekeland’s creation, many new plastics have been realised and developed, offering a huge range of desirable properties, and you will find them in every home, office, factory and vehicle.
It was the first synthetic plastic - the first to be derived not from plants or animals, but from fossil fuels. Baekeland used phenol, an acid derived from coal tar.
Timeline of Plastic History. 1284 – Oldest surviving historical record of naturally made plastic compounds from horn and tortoiseshell. 1823 – Macintosh discovered rubber. He used it to protect cotton from moisture. 1845 – Inventor Bewley produces natural rubber from plant gutta percha.
It’s a complex history, but let’s quickly learn when was plastic invented, where our relationship with plastic currently stands, and what we can do about it. In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt invented the first hard plastic as a substitute for ivory.
The noun plastic had not yet been coined—and wouldn't be until the early twentieth century—but we were already dreaming in plastic. Hyatt's breakthrough came in 1869.