186 Chapter 8
War designs were marketed in large numbers as housewares. They developed
a long-lasting image as low value, low quality and ephemeral pieces. It has even
been said that dreaming about plastics suggests that one is fake and artificial!
The 1980s saw a change in perception of plastics from disposable materials
to fashionable, highly collectable pieces with historical and technological
significance. Expansion in the number of processing and fabrication techniques
has allowed modern plastics to be manipulated in thin film, bulk and foam
forms, and to be combined with fibres, metals and wood. Today there are
approximately 50 different basic types of plastics, included in 60,000 different
plastics formulations; those based on polyolefins and PVC have highest con-
sumption worldwide. Six new plastics formulations are sent for evaluation
and approval to major testing laboratories each week.
Museum objects are rarely collected for their material type but because of
their origin, function, design, rarity, cultural or historical significance; plastic
Table 1First commercial availability of plastics
Date Plastics type Uses Comments
1862 Semi-synthetics Synthetic ivory, Rayon, Celanese, Tricel
Cellulose nitrate tortoiseshell, film base
1894 Cellulose acetate Doping for aircraft Rayon, Celanese, Tricel
wings, ‘safety’ film,
synthetic textiles
1902 Casein-formaldehyde Buttons, hot-stamped Erenoid, Galalith, Ameroid
products
1909 Synthetics Radio cases, cables, Bakelite, Catalin
Phenolformaldehyde insulators, heated hair ‘The material of 1000 uses’
rollers, fine boxes, photo Only made in dark colours
1926 Urea and thiourea- Kitchenware Available in pale colours
formaldehyde
1924 Melamine-formaldehyde Formica laminated Scratch-resistant and hard
surfaces
1935 Poly(vinyl chloride) Cable insulation, Barbie Replaced rubber in Second
dolls, toys World War. Needs lots of
additives
1937 Poly(methyl methacrylate) Aircraft windows, Plexiglas, Perspex
glazing, lighting
1938 Polystyrene Heat insulation, plastic Flamingo foam
cups
1939 Nylon Parachutes, synthetic Very tough, withstands
silk, clothing hot water
1942 Polyethylene Tupperware Melts at 130°C
1947 Epoxy Adhesives, sculptures Yellows quickly
1950 Polyester Fleeces, cola bottles Polyethylene terephthalate
1956 Polypropylene Car bumpers, bottle crates Stiffer than polyethylene
1967 Polycarbonate CDs, greenhouse roofs Tough