Polyvinyl chloride, discovered in 1838, was the first synthetic organic polymer to be made. Interestingly, many polymers have been discovered by accident. For instance in 1839, vulcanized rubber was discovered when Charles Goodyear accidentally dropped a mixture of natural rubber and sulfur onto a hot stove. The result yielded a product that was strong and elastic which is now used for boots, tires, and rainwear. Polystyrene was also accidentally discovered shortly after styrene was synthesized and purified because it polymerizes sponta- neously unless a stabilizer is added.
Polymers have a variety of uses.
A polymer can also have more than one use. Sometimes, if the polymer is too brittle, a plasticizer needs to be added. The addition of the plasticizer makes the polymer more flexible. Plasticizers are nonvolatile liquids that will dissolve in the polymer and lower the attraction between the polymer chains and allowing them to slide by each other. PVC is a plasticized polymer which has dibutyl phthalate added to it.