We can't imagine what it would be like without plastic in our lives. It can be seen that plastic has changed our lives dramatically and improved our living standards. And without plastic, many innovations would not be possible.
From the beginning of the 20th century, after phenolic plastics began to be industrialized, by 1950 the world's total plastic production reached 1.5 million tons. The world production of plastic raw materials (resins) exceeded 100 million tons for the first time in 1991, 110 million tons in 1994, 150 million tons in 1995, 180 million tons in 2001 and 190 million tons in 2002, 200 million tons in 2003, 206 million tons, and 210 million tons in 2004.
No matter from the construction, agriculture, medical and other industries, plastics have a pivotal role, many building plastic products or accessories can be produced in factories, and then on-site assembly, can greatly improve the efficiency of construction. Plastics to general acid, alkali, salt and grease have better corrosion resistance, than metal materials and some inorganic materials much better. Especially suitable for chemical factory doors and Windows, ground, walls, etc. And general plastic is a bad conductor of electricity, its electrical insulation can be comparable to ceramic, rubber.
Eckart Herrmann, an expert from Volkswagen, stressed the value of plastic to manufacturers, saying: "From Volkswagen's point of view, plastic has made a huge difference in our vehicles." For example, the invention of airbags has dramatically improved driving safety thanks to plastic.
It can even influence the properties of the plastic at the molecular level to meet the desired characteristics of the final product. Dr. Hans-Werner Schmidt, a professor at the University of Bayreuth, explained how it works: "The challenge for the future is to create molecules that self-assemble in some sequence to form a specific medium-sized molecular structure to perform a certain function." Norbert Niessner of Styrolution adds that polystyrene can be used to make almost anything.
There are three core areas for Volkswagen: safety, light weight and beauty. And in every aspect, taking the automobile industry as an example, polystyrene can meet the various needs of consumers, meet their expectations, and enhance value in many ways.
At present, the consumption level of plastic is a measure of a country's developed degree, is an indispensable means of life and production for social prosperity, economic development and human reproduction. Plastics have brought innovation and surprise to our lives, and with the increasing maturity of plastic technology, plastics will create greater value in the future.