1936 | First production of aircraft canopies made from ‘Perspex’. |
1937 | First commercial production of polystyrene by IG Farben, Germany |
1938 | Full scale production of nylon 6 fibre begins in United States |
1938 | First toothbrush with nylons tufts manufactured |
1938 | Plunkett (DuPont) discovers PTFE |
1939 | First commercial production of polyethylene in UK by ICI |
1939 | Outbreak of war – strategic stockpiles, plastics in war |
1940s | Use of polyethylene in radar |
1940 | First production of PVC in UK |
1940 | DuPont introduces polyacrylonitrile (PAN), an early engineering product |