plastic: References & Edit History
More Articles On This Topic
- aquariumDesign and architecture
- automobileBody
- balloon flightPlastic balloons
- bottle
- electroless plating
- technology of photographyElectrophotography
- electroplatingDevelopment of electroplating.
- photoengravingEtching and finishing
- investment casting
- jewelry20th century
- materials scienceMaterials for ground transportation
- materials sciencePlastics and composites
- lubricationSolid lubricants.
- history of medicineSupport from other technologies
- musical instrumentTechnological developments
- opticsDispersion
- packaging
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Additional Reading
Jacqueline I. Kroschwitz (ed.), Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, 2nd ed., 17 vol. (1985–90), is the most comprehensive source of information on polymer science and includes articles on the major topics treated in this article; it is also available in a condensed, 1-vol. edition, Concise Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering (1990). Two additional reference works are Geoffrey Allen and John C. Bevington (eds.), Comprehensive Polymer Science: The Synthesis, Characterization, Reactions & Applications of Polymers, 7 vol. (1989); and Joseph C. Salamone (ed.), Polymeric Materials Encyclopedia, 12 vol. (1996). Books on polymer science for the nonscientific reader are Hans-Georg Elias, Mega Molecules (1987; originally published in German, 1985); and Raymond B. Seymour and Charles E. Carraher, Giant Molecules: Essential Materials for Everyday Living and Problem Solving (1990).
Modern Plastics Encyclopedia (annual) contains individual articles on plastics and fabrication processes written primarily for nonspecialists. Molding processes are described in Michael L. Berins (ed.), SPI Plastics Engineering Handbook of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., 5th ed. (1991); and Charles A. Harper (ed.), Handbook of Plastics, Elastomers, and Composites, 3rd ed. (1996). Ferdinand Rodriguez, Principles of Polymer Systems, 4th ed. (1996), includes coverage of the fabrication of plastics and has detailed bibliographies.
Article Contributors
Primary Contributors
Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors
Article History
| Type | Description | Contributor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modified link of Web site: Open Library Publishing Platform - Organic and Biochemistry Supplement to Enhanced Introductory College Chemistry - Plastics and the environment. | Sep 05, 2026 | ||
| Add new Web site: Cell Press - One Earth - The impacts of plastics life cycle. | May 30, 2026 | ||
| Add new Web site: Chemical Safety Facts - An Introduction to Plastics. | Mar 06, 2026 | ||
| Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Plastics and Types of Plastic. | Nov 19, 2025 | ||
| Add new Web site: Open Library Publishing Platform - Organic and Biochemistry Supplement to Enhanced Introductory College Chemistry - Plastics and Recycling. | Nov 19, 2025 | ||
| Add new Web site: PNAS - The benefits of removing toxic chemicals from plastics. | Aug 02, 2025 | ||
| Link added. | Feb 25, 2025 | ||
| Media added. | Jan 22, 2025 | ||
| Media added. | Sep 04, 2024 | ||
| Media added. | Aug 13, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: Open Library Publishing Platform - Organic and Biochemistry Supplement to Enhanced Introductory College Chemistry - Plastics and the environment. | Aug 12, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: Science - Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. | Oct 11, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: Science Museum - The Age of Plastic: From Parkesine to pollution. | Feb 12, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. | Sep 21, 2022 | ||
| Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - Plastics in Our Oceans. | May 12, 2022 | ||
| Removed media. | Dec 20, 2021 | ||
| Changed “less than 5 percent” to “less than 10 percent” in the section “Identification, segregation, gathering.” | Nov 10, 2020 | ||
| Add new Web site: Kidcyber - Plastic. | Mar 07, 2019 | ||
| Add new Web site: Science History Institute - History and Future of Plastics. | Dec 26, 2018 | ||
| Removed table. | Aug 15, 2018 | ||
| Add new Web site: Chemical Heritage Foundation - The History and Future of Plastics. | Nov 10, 2017 | ||
| Add new Web site: MedicineNet.com. | Sep 27, 2017 | ||
| Add new Web site: Nobelprize.org - Plastic. | Jan 19, 2017 | ||
| Add new Web site: Quatr.us - What is Plastic? | Jan 18, 2017 | ||
| Media added. | May 12, 2016 | ||
| Add new Web site: MedicineNet - Plastic. | Apr 11, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - Plastic. | Aug 31, 2011 | ||
| Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Plastic. | Aug 31, 2011 | ||
| Add new Web site: The History Learning Site - Plastic. | Aug 31, 2011 | ||
| Photo of Banbury mixer, illustrations of screw extrusion, blow extrusion, injection molding, blow molding added. | Apr 20, 2010 | ||
| Photos of plastic products (bottles, auto interior, CDs, foam packaging) and plastic recycling added. | Apr 20, 2010 | ||
| Table of plastic recycling numbers added. | Apr 20, 2010 | ||
| Detail added on molecular structure of polypropylene and polycarbonate. | Apr 20, 2010 | ||
| Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - How Plastics Work. | Dec 26, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Plastics Museum - History of plastic. | Mar 13, 2008 | ||
| Article revised and updated. | Oct 25, 2007 | ||
| Added new Web site: The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI). | Sep 20, 2006 | ||
| Added new Web site: GE Plastic Resins. | May 11, 2006 | ||
| Article added to new online database. | Jul 26, 1999 |