100 years of plastics
Unlimited possibilities for the future
They make cars lighter and more economical. They make for handy smartphones and comfortable living. They help in medicine and keep food fresh: plastics.
The success story of this versatile material began 100 years ago – when the German scientist and Nobel Prize winner Hermann Staudinger launched macromolecular chemistry with a groundbreaking paper. In the meantime, there are many different types of plastics with very different properties for practically any aspect of life. And researchers and manufacturers are opening up ever more possible uses – especially to meet major challenges such as urbanisation, feeding the world’s growing population and combating climate change. In short: plastics are indispensable for shaping a sustainable future worth living.
Science and industry have made it their mission to make Staudinger’s legacy fit for the future – read here how plastics make life better and sustainable.
100 years of plastics
Unlimited possibilities for the future – month after month
With the publication of a research article in 1920, Hermann Staudinger laid the foundation of modern polymer science. By then, no one imagined the success story it would trigger: Plastics have long since made our everyday lives easier, promoted medical progress and are important enabler for renewable energies. Until the end of 2021, the Macromolecular Chemistry Division of the Association of German Chemists (Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker e. V.), PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V. and several plastics manufacturers will be presenting exciting areas of application for the material.
“In the light of the new findings of macromolecular chemistry, the miracle of life reveals its chemical side”“
Foto: GDCh/Foto-Atelier TiTa Binz, Mannheim