Chemical Compounds

Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth, forming the structural component of plant cell walls. It is a …

DGEBA-based epoxy resins are the most widely used thermosetting polymers, found in adhesives, coatings, and composites. They cure with hardeners …

Kevlar is an aramid fiber five times stronger than steel by weight. Invented by Stephanie Kwolek in 1965, it is …

Nomex is a heat-resistant aramid fiber used in firefighter gear, race car driver suits, and electrical insulation. It does not …

Nylon-6,6 was the first commercially successful synthetic polymer, developed by Wallace Carothers at DuPont in 1935. It revolutionized the textile …

Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, is a phenol-formaldehyde resin invented in 1907. It launched the Age of Plastics and …

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is the primary precursor for carbon fiber production, accounting for about 90% of all carbon fiber made.

Polycarbonate is an extremely tough, transparent thermoplastic. It is virtually unbreakable under normal conditions, with impact resistance 250 times that …

Polyethylene is the most widely produced plastic in the world, with annual production exceeding 100 million tonnes. It comes in …

PET is one of the most recycled plastics worldwide. It is clear, strong, and lightweight, making it ideal for beverage …

PHB is a biodegradable polyester produced naturally by bacteria as an energy storage material. It is being developed as an …

PLA is a biodegradable polymer made from corn starch or sugarcane. It is the most widely used bioplastic, found in …

PMMA (Plexiglas/Lucite) is a transparent thermoplastic often used as a lightweight, shatter-resistant alternative to glass.

Polypropylene is the second most widely produced plastic polymer. It has excellent chemical resistance, elasticity, and fatigue resistance. It can …

Polystyrene is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed. Expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) is 95-98% air, giving it excellent …

PTFE, marketed as Teflon, has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known solid. The strong C-F bonds make it …

Polyurethane is one of the most versatile polymers, produced as flexible foam, rigid foam, coatings, adhesives, and elastomers.

Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic polymer. It is inherently rigid and flame-resistant but can be made …

PDMS is the most widely used silicone, with applications from medical implants to cooking molds, lubricants, and waterproofing agents.

Sodium polyacrylate is a superabsorbent polymer that can absorb 300-800 times its weight in water. It is the key material …

Starch is a polysaccharide that plants use to store energy. It consists of two polymers: amylose (linear) and amylopectin (branched). …