Plastics have been described as "materials that can be moulded or shaped into different forms under pressure or heat." They were a cultural phenomenon in the twentieth century when they changed the way objects were produced, designed and used. It was also in the twentieth century that most plastic products moved away from natural raw materials to synthetically produced ones.

The museum's plastics collection began in the 1930s with the acquisition of specimens of plastic raw materials and finished products. The collection was driven largely by Arthur de Ramon Penfold (1890-1980), a former industrial chemist, who worked as curator and later director of the museum from 1927 until 1955.

Between 26 and 28 of September 1934, the Technical College and the museum collaborated to develop what was advocated as the first Plastics Industry Exhibition in Australia. A permanent display of plastics was established at the museum, and was described by the Sunday Telegraph as 'the best display of plastics and fibres in the world show(ing) the complete history of plastics from first experiments to the latest developments'.

Arthur Penfold requested these and hair combs, along with other raw materials from the Dow Chemical Company in 1947, to represent the dichloro styrene plastics in the Museum. The combs also highlight the decorative applications of plastics and its use as a replacement for materials such as tortoiseshell.

These objects are a part of a large collection of plastics and plastic moulding powders acquired by the museum during Arthur Penfold's career. This collection gives an insight into a period of great social, material, technological and scientific development as well as the collecting practices of the museum at the time. Plastics continues to be an area that is explored and represented in the museum's collection, however today it reflects some of the more ambivalent attitudes towards plastics and their use, particularly in regards to the environment and sustainability.

Reference:

Sunday Telegraph, 'For plastics he saw great things', 11 November 1945.
M. Kaufman, the First Century of Plastics, The Plastics Institute, London, 1963. pg55


Written by Erika Dicker
Assistant Curator, March 2008.

The styrene monomer was first prepared in 1831, as a colourless liquid, however it was not until World War II that it found its first applications. The styrene monomer was used extensively during World War II as thermal insulation in military equipment, and to produce synthetic rubbers.

In his publication, 'Plastics and Synthetic Fibres', Arthur Penfold wrote: 'Styrene was produced in enormous quantities, about 400,000 tons in all, for the manufacture of synthetic rubber during World War II. On polymerisation with a gas called butadiene it constituted the principal synthetic rubber of the Allies, viz., Buna S or GR-S, of which about 700,000 to 800,000 tons were produced in the last years of the war. Since World War II other uses have had to be found for the large production which is still made in enormous quantities, both in Canada and the United States of America. One of the newer outlets is the use of styrene for producing new types of surface coatings or vanishes. These are noted for their rapid drying properties at room temperature, and show marked resistance to chemicals.'

These hair combs are made from moulded polydichlorostyrene. Hair combs were not usually molded from this polymer and more likely to be made from polystyrene.

In a letter to Arthur Penfold, L.E. Lloyd from Dow Chemical Company wrote "So far as I know, the polydichlorostyrene which is being offered commercially by the Matheson Alkali Company is not being used to mold combs commercially. We just happened to have a commercial comb mold available and thought it would make a good interesting molded object. The utility of the dichlor derivative is that its higher heat distortion permits its use where the finished article must stand higher temperatures such as those obtained in sterilizing surgical instruments".

Reference:
Plastics Industry Association, Know Your Plastics, Plastics Institute of Australia Inc., Australia, 1992.
The Plastics Historical Society [2006], polystyrene fact sheet [online], Available at: http://www.plastiquarian.com/polystyr.htm accessed March 2008.
Manufacturer Publishing, Australasian Manufacturers' Directory, A.A. Tighe for the Proprietors, The Manufacturer Pub. Co., 1943, p651
Penfold, A. R., 'Plastics and Synthetic Rubbers', A. H. Pettifer, Government Printer, Sydney, 1956, p15,24
Plastics Institute of Australia, 'Australian Plastics Trade Directory', Sydney, 1947
Penfold, A. R., 'Plastics and Synthetic Fibres', A.H. Pettifer, Government Printer, Sydney, 1956
Correspondence, letter to Arthur Penfold, from L. E. Lloyd Dow Chemical Company, January, 1948, Museum Archive

It is often perceived that plastics are a material of the twentieth century; however, its beginnings go back to eighteenth century Europe and conditions created by rapid industrialisation, scientific curiosity and opportunities to create great wealth through innovative and entrepreneurial ideas. Many of the semi-synthetic plastics of the nineteenth century and the synthetic plastics of the twentieth century were influenced by earlier manufacturing methods of making products out of natural plastics such as horn and tortoiseshell. The development of synthetic plastics, however, allowed for a product that was not subject to availability and fluctuating costs.

The Australian plastics processing industry began around 1917, growing significantly after World War Two. In 1939 production of plastics was around one thousand tonnes per year and fifty years later it had grown to around nine hundred thousand tonnes . New innovations in plastics, a rising population and increasing home ownership and household consumption were major influences on this growth. Today the plastics industry is one of Australia's largest manufacturing sectors.

Between 26 and 28 September 1934, the Sydney Technical College and the museum collaborated to develop what was advocated as the first Plastics Industry Exhibition in Australia. It is likely that this sample was displayed during this exhibition, along with the first permanent plastics display established at the museum. This exhibition was advocated as the first plastics exhibition in Australia. The museum contributed the majority of the exhibits, which included colourful moulded objects and synthetic resin powders. A feature of the exhibition was a working press mould that turned out plastic objects as the audience watched, lent by John Heine and Son. A Conversazione was held on the evening of 26th September, 1934 'to which prominent citizens, including representatives of the Plastics Industry were invited', and at which both Penfold and Dr N H Lang gave lectures on the plastics industry

A permanent display of plastics was established at the museum, and was described by the Sunday Telegraph as 'the best display of plastics and fibres in the worldÂ?show(ing) the complete history of plastics from first experiments to the latest developments' . Penfold was greatly concerned with the technical and commercial development of local industries, such as the plastics industry, and believed that the museum was 'destined to play a conspicuous part in bringing Science to the aid of industry' through both research and display.

In December 1944 Penfold, along with Mr C H Hunt of Newcastle Technical College, was commissioned by the NSW Government to investigate overseas technological trends in the plastic industry, including the training of technical personnel, throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. On his return Penfold continued to promote the importance of Australia's development of a vigorous research and training program in developing local technical expertise arguing that: 'The field is so vast and the potentialities of plastics is so promising, that no effort should be spared to provide adequate training for all persons wishing to acquire a knowledge of these new materials' .

Reference::
Chemlink Consultants, Australia's Chemical Industry - History and development, available at http://www.chemlink.com.au/chemhist.htm, accessed 08/08/2007.
Penfold, A. R., 'Reports on Plastics Investigation, 1945, in the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom', 31/10/1945
Penfold, A. R., paper, 'Recent Developments of Plastics Overseas', delivered before the Plastics Institute of Australia, NSW Section, 29/11/1945
Penfold, A. R., 'The Influence of Science Museums on Industry', read at the first Biannual Conference of International Council on Museums, 1948
Sunday Telegraph, 'For plastics he saw great things', 11/11/1945
Sydney Technological Museum, Annual Report, 1934

Hair combs (2), polydichlorostyrene, made by Dow Chemical Company, USA, 1948

2 Hair combs made from Dichloro-styrene Plastics (SB), 2 Hair combs amde from Dichloro-styrene Plastics, 2 Polydichlorostyrene screw caps (LC).

Made: 1948

H4921

1948