ABSTRACT
In our society synthetic polymers are among the major chemical products used. Most of these substances were unknown 50 years ago, but now are used in almost every aspect of our daily life. In the home, plumbing, textiles, paint, floor coverings, and many other items are made from
synthetic polymers
,
some of which are described in everyday language as
plastics
(Nicholsen, 1991). A summary of some plastics and their uses is shown in Table 7.1.
