Title:	Natural Polymers
Authors:	Olatunji, Ololade
Keywords:	Polymers
Issue Date:	2016
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing Switzerland
Description:	The word polymer is derived from the Greek word “poly” meaning many and “meros” which means parts. Hence polymer refers to molecules made up of many parts. More specifically, polymers are defined as molecules made up of repeated units of smaller molecules. Although recent decades has seen a boost in the polymers in various industries from pharmaceutical to construction to fashion industries where designer shoes and bags made from synthetic and natural polymers from both plants and animals have become commonplace, polymers have been in existence since the very existence of life. DNA, cellulose, cotton, and rubber are all polymers occurring in nature since the beginning of the ages. Processing of natural polymers has been taking place since the early humans who have long woven and dyed fibers of silk, wool, and carbohydrates from flax and cotton. Natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) has been used by the early South American civilization for waterproofing and elastic materials (Seymour and Carraher 1992). Today processing techniques of natural and synthetic polymers have become more advanced with broader applications from scaffold in tissue engineering (Chap. 5) to films for packaging (Chap. 7). An account of the development of synthetic polymers over the years exists in the literature (Seymour and Carraher 1992) showing the development of polymers from mainly natural polymers such as wool, cotton, flax, leather cellulose, and silk in the early 1800s to the development of vulcanized rubber in 1839. Later developments led to development of bakelite, cellulose acetate, and cellulose nitrate between 1907 and 1923. Later in the 1930s–1940s as understanding of polymers gradually developed, more polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylates), polyvinyl acetate, and polystyrene were developed. Polycarbonate, polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, flurocarbones, silicones, and polyurethanes and a host of other polymers were developed between 1940 and the late 1950s, where polymer saw a huge development. Later years saw development of more polymers such as Kevlar and development of more varied forms of pre-existing polymers to improve properties such as electrical conductivity. Today biopolymers such as Polylactic acid and chitosan have gained increasing attention in industries in applications such as 3D printing and tissue engineering.
URI:	http://10.6.20.12:80/handle/123456789/74404
ISBN:	978-3-319-26412-7
Appears in Collections:	Chemistry

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