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