Plasticity - 100 years of making plastics

Plasticity: 100 years of making plastics
 

Plastics. Are they really fantastic?

Since Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first truly man-made material, in 1907, we have taken to plastics in a big way. We have taken them into our lives, our homes, our bodies. We have used them to help solve our problems and give shape to our desires.

Today plastics are everywhere – some highly visible, others overlooked. But we can’t keep taking them for granted. We have to deal with our plastic waste and growing concerns about the availability of oil – the raw material used to make plastics.

Scientists are still inventing plastics and imagining where we could take them next – but, 100 years on... are plastics still fantastic?

This exhibition is supported by SITA Trust and Defra.

On display

Bakelite coffin, 1938.

Coffin made from woodflour filled phenol formaldehyde resin, made in 1938, believed to be largest phenolic moulding, made in UK. Lid broken.

 
Mould for a Tupperware container, 1965.

Single Impression mould used in the injection moulding of a Tupperware "Mix-n-stor" container. Late 1960s.

 
Shape changing plane models

Each of these model aeroplanes is optimised to fly at a different speed: their shape changes the way air moves around the plane.

 
Futuro House

Clearly influenced by the space race, Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed the Futuro House to take advantage of plastics' light weight and modern aesthetic.

 
Rendering of the Toyota i-Unit concept car in high speed mode

Full of revolutionary technology, this i-Unit concept car, designed in Japan, uses plant-based materials instead of oil-based plastics and metals. Tough kenaf plant fibres are held together by lignin, a natural polymer found in wood.

 
Biro Chandelier

 
 

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