List of synthetic polymers

Some familiar household synthetic polymers include: Nylons in textiles and fabrics, Teflon in non-stick pans, Bakelite for electrical switches, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in pipes, etc. The common PET bottles are made of a synthetic polymer, polyethylene terephthalate. The plastic kits and covers are mostly made of synthetic polymers like polythene, and tires are manufactured from polybutadienes. However, due to the environmental issues created by these synthetic polymers which are mostly non-biodegradable and often synthesized from petroleum, alternatives like bioplastics are also being considered. They are however expensive when compared to the synthetic polymers.

Inorganic polymers

Organic polymers

The eight most common types of synthetic organic polymers, which are commonly found in households are:

Brand names

These polymers are often better known through their brand names, for instance:


Summary Chart

Overview of chemical structure and uses of common polymers.

Plastic identification codes

See also

References

Uses material from the Wikipedia article List of synthetic polymers, released under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.