Production and application of polymer materials

Polimerni materijali su tehnički upotrebljive tvari kojima osnovu čine polimeri. Jedni su od najvažnijih tehničkih materijala koji su danas u uporabi, a njihova proizvodnja i primjena u stalnom su porastu. Najčešće se koriste kao konstrukcijski materijali i upotrebljavaju se svuda gdje i uobičajeni materijali – metali, drvo, keramika, staklo, tekstilna vlakna, kaučuk, guma, te su zbog svojih posebnih svojstava našli specifičnu primjenu i omogućili napredak u brojnim područjima ljudske djelatnosti. Prirodne polimerne materijale čovjek je rabio još od svojega postanka. Industrijska proizvodnja polimernih materijala u većem je opsegu započela između 1930. i 1940., a već 1979. po volumenu je premašila proizvodnju čelika. Prirodni polimerni materijali su drvo, papir, biljna i životinjska vlakna, prirodni kaučuk, prirodne smole te neki silikatni proizvodi. Polimeri imaju dobra mehanička svojstva, nisku cijenu i imaju velike prednosti prilikom odabira materijala. Primjena je široka, jer osim u prehrambenoj industriji imaju primjenu i u automobilskoj industriji, elektroindustriji, služe za izradu rekreacijske i sportske opreme, te za izradu odjeće i obuće. Nedvojbena je njihova primjena i u graditeljstvu.Polymer materials are tehnically usable substances based on polymers. They are one of the most important technical materials in use today, and their production and application are constantly increasing. They are most often used as costruction materials and everywhere where common materials are used - metals, wood, ceramics, glass, textile fibers, rubber. Due to their special properties they have found specific applications and enabled progress in many areas of human activity. Natural polymer materials have been used by man since its inception. Industrial production of polymeric materials began on a larger scale between 1930 and 1940, and already in 1979 it exceeded the production of steel by volume. Natural polymeric materials are wood, paper, plant and animal fibers, natural rubber, natural resins and some silicate products. Polymers have good mechanical properties, low cost and have great advantages when choosing materials. The application is wide, beacuse in addition to the food industry, they are also used in the automotive industry, electrical industry, for the manufacture of recreational and sports equipment, and for the manufacture of clothing and footwear. Their application in civil engeneering is undoubted