Editing Polymer (section)

== History ==
{{See also|Polymer science}}Polymers have been essential components of commodities since the early days of humankind. The use of [[wool]] ([[keratin]]), [[cotton]] and [[linen]] fibres ([[cellulose]]) for garments, [[Cyperus papyrus|paper reed]] ([[cellulose]]) for [[paper]] are just a few examples of how ancient societies exploited polymer-containing raw materials to obtain artefacts. The latex sap of [[Hevea brasiliensis|"caoutchouc" trees]] ([[natural rubber]]) reached Europe in the 16th century from South America long after the [[Olmecs|Olmec]], [[Maya civilization|Maya]] and [[Aztecs|Aztec]] had started using it as a material to make balls, waterproof textiles and containers.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hurley|first=Paul E.|date=May 1981|title=History of Natural Rubber|journal=Journal of Macromolecular Science: Part A - Chemistry|language=en|volume=15|issue=7|pages=1279–1287|doi=10.1080/00222338108056785|issn=0022-233X}}</ref>

The chemical manipulation of polymers dates back to the 19th century, although at the time the nature of these species was not understood. The behaviour of polymers was initially rationalised according to the theory proposed by [[Thomas Graham (chemist)|Thomas Graham]] which considered them as colloidal aggregates of small molecules held together by unknown forces.

Notwithstanding the lack of theoretical knowledge, the potential of polymers to provide innovative, accessible and cheap materials was immediately grasped. The work carried out by [[Henri Braconnot|Braconnot]], [[Parkesine|Parkes]], Ludersdorf, [[Nathaniel Hayward|Hayward]] and many others on the modification of natural polymers determined many significant advances in the field.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Feldman|first=Dorel|date=January 2008|title=Polymer History|journal=Designed Monomers and Polymers|language=en|volume=11|issue=1|pages=1–15|doi=10.1163/156855508X292383|s2cid=219539020|issn=1568-5551|doi-access=free}}</ref> Their contributions led to the discovery of materials such as [[celluloid]], [[galalith]], [[parkesine]], [[rayon]], [[vulcanised rubber]] and, later, [[Bakelite]]: all materials that quickly entered industrial manufacturing processes and reached households as garments components (''e.g.'', fabrics, buttons), crockery and decorative items.

In 1920, [[Hermann Staudinger]] published his seminal work "Über Polymerisation",<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Staudinger|first=H.|date=12 June 1920|title=Über Polymerisation|journal=Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft (A and B Series)|volume=53|issue=6|pages=1073–1085|doi=10.1002/cber.19200530627|issn=0365-9488|url=https://zenodo.org/record/1426679}}</ref> in which he proposed that polymers were in fact long chains of atoms linked by covalent bonds. His work was debated at length, but eventually it was accepted by the scientific community. Because of this work, Staudinger was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1953.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1953|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/1953/summary/|access-date=25 June 2020|website=NobelPrize.org|language=en-US}}</ref>

After the 1930s polymers entered a golden age during which new types were discovered and quickly given commercial applications, replacing naturally-sourced materials. This development was fuelled by an industrial sector with a strong economic drive and it was supported by a broad academic community that contributed innovative syntheses of monomers from cheaper raw material, more efficient polymerisation processes, improved techniques for polymer characterisation and advanced, theoretical understanding of polymers.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:History of polymers.tif|alt=|center|frameless|922x922px|Some memorable milestones in the history of polymers<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Feldman|first=Dorel|date=1 January 2008|title=Polymer History|journal=Designed Monomers and Polymers|volume=11|issue=1|pages=1–15|doi=10.1163/156855508X292383|s2cid=219539020|doi-access=free}}</ref>]]
Since 1953, [[Polymer science#Nobel prizes related to polymer science|six Nobel prizes]] have been awarded in the area of polymer science, excluding those for research on [[Biopolymer|biological macromolecules]]. This further testifies to its impact on modern science and technology. As [[Alexander R. Todd|Lord Todd]] summarised in 1980, "I am inclined to think that the development of polymerization is perhaps the biggest thing that chemistry has done, where it has had the biggest effect on everyday life".<ref>{{Cite journal|date=6 October 1980|title=Lord Todd: the state of chemistry|journal=Chemical & Engineering News Archive|volume=58|issue=40|pages=28–33|doi=10.1021/cen-v058n040.p028|issn=0009-2347}}</ref>