September 19, 2025
The use of natural resins like asphalt, rosin, amber, and shellac dates back to the 19th century. The first synthetic plastic, celluloid, made from cellulose nitrate and camphor, was introduced in 1868. In 1909, phenolic plastic became the first fully synthetic resin, followed by amino plastics in the 1920s, which spurred growth in electrical and instrument manufacturing. From the 1920s–1930s, alkyd resins, PVC, acrylates, polystyrene, and polyamines were developed. Since the 1940s, petroleum-based plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyesters, fluoroplastics, epoxy resins, polycarbonate, and polyimide have expanded the industry significantly.
