Plasticity - 100 years of making plastics

Plasticity: 100 years of making plastics
 

Since Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first truly man-made material, in 1907, we have taken to plastics in a big way. They are in our lives, our homes, our bodies. While scientists are worrying about our plastic waste, others are still inventing plastics and imagining where we could take them next.

100 years on... are plastics still fantastic?

The exhibition has four sections:

The Birth of Plastics - Baekeland’s invention and the rapid spread of plastics as a useful material.

Plastic Dreams - the widespread use of plastics since their introduction, and the properties and uses of key plastics including polythene, polyurethane, polyester, nylon and acrylic.

Plastics Now - plastics today and the environmental implications of their use.

Plastic Futures – cutting-edge prototype products and expert views about new sources of plastics, and new ways to reduce waste and use plastics more responsibly.





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