Phenol-formaldehyde Plastic (PF); (Phenolic);1909.
-	Thermoset polycondensate.
-	The first volume-produced synthesized polymer resin, PF was used in early consumer electronic products such as telephones and radios.
-	A naturally brittle material in pure form, it is able to be strengthened with fillers such as wood pulp and cellulose.
-	Trade Name: Bakelite.

Polystyrene (PS); 1930.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Used for inexpensive packaging materials, pens, safety razors, flatware, and CD jewel boxes. In Styrofoam format, PS is used to make high-throughput, thin-walled, easy-to-mold parts where structure is not paramount.
-	A material not structurally strong but easy to mold, it is inexpensive, machines well, and possesses excellent transparency.
-	Trade Name: Novacor 555.

Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC); 1930's.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Typically used as one of the components in a copolymer.
-	It has a high hardness and good abrasion resistance.
-	Trade Name: Diofan, Ixan, Saran.

Polyamide (PA); (Nylon);1935.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	Used to make high-lubricity parts (e.g. bearings, blow moldings, and clothing fabric).
-	It has high lubricity and moderate strength. It is tough, inexpensive, and has poor dimensional stability due to water absorption (hygroscopic nature).
-	Trade Name: Ultramid, Zytel.

Melamine formaldehyde (MF); 1938.
-	Thermoset polycondensate.
-	Used in molding compounds and food containers (e.g. dishes).
-	It has high surface hardness and scratch resistance. High resistance to creep, heat, moisture, boiling water. High shrinkage, easy to crack in formation.
-	Trade Name: Bakelite, Isomin, Melaicar, Melbrite, Melmex, Melopas, Resart, Ultrapas.

Polyvinylchloride (PVC); 1938.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Used in pipes and fittings, wire and cable insulation, extruded film and sheet, and medical applications.
-	Its flexible grades are easy to process. Its rigid grades have a high dielectric strength, outdoor stability, chemical resistance, good moisture stability, and low cost. Both have low heat resistance.
-	Trade Name: Geon, Viclon.

Polyethylene (PE); 1939.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	The largest volume commodity plastic, PE is used in blow-molded beverage bottles, auto gas tanks, and extruded pipe.
-	It has good toughness at low temperatures and is inexpensive.
-	Trade Name: Marlex, Alathon, Hostalen.

Polyurethane (PU); 1940.
-	Thermoplastic or thermoset, (typically reinforced), polyadduct.
-	Used in automotive structural members, computer housings, furniture, and packaging foams.
-	It has high impact resistance, dielectric strength, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance. It can be made into films, solid moldings, or flexible foams. Becomes brittle with outdoor exposure.
-	Trade Name: Estane, Pellanthane.

Polyester; 1942.
-	Thermoplastic or thermoset polycondensate.
-	Used to make clothing and handles.
-	It has excellent dimensional stability, high dielectric strength, and good toughness. It has moderate chemical resistance, low resistance to strong acids and bases, is notch sensitive, and is not recommended for outdoor use or in hot water.
-	Trade Name: Valox, Celanex.

Silicone (SI); 1943.
-	Thermoset polycondensate.
-	Used in computer chips, IC, cooking ware, and food containers.
-	It possesses dimensional stability and good electrical and dielectrical properties over wide frequency and temperature ranges. It has flame resistance, low water absorption, moderate thermal shock resistance, and average polymeric mechanical properties. It has a high cost, limited shelf-life, and a long curing time.
-	Trade Name: Baysilon, Blu-Sil, Commex, Fiberite, Lamitex, Siltemp, Textolite.

Ethylene vinyl alcohol (E/VAL); 1945.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Used in packaging of textiles. E/VAL fluidized powder coatings are used in construction of chemical plants, buildings, steel structures, roads, and offshore engineering. It has a working range from 70 to -40 ºC (158 to -40 ºF).
-	Its permeability depends on temperature and humidity. E/VAL films are hydrophilic, crystal clear, glossy and do not need special antistatic treatments. Good barrier properties for gases and aromatic materials.
-	Trade Name: Clarene, Eval, Levasint, Selar, Soarnol.

Epoxy; 1946.
-	Thermoset polyadduct.
-	Used in reactive molding compounds. Also used in adhesives.
-	It is air curable, highly fillable, possesses low shrinkage and low susceptibility to stress formation. Good adhesion to almost all materials. High tensile and vibrational strength. High heat resistance, high heat deformation resistance, and high chemical attack resistance. Good aging properties. Good electrical and dielectrical properties. Odorless, tasteless, low flammability. Systems can be formulated to meet specific requirements.
-	Trade Name: Acme, Aerolam, Basoset, Beckopx, Conapoxy, Corlar, Cycom, DER, Desmobond, Dobeckot, Dynopon, Ecco, Epikote, Epocast, Epodite, Eprosin, Eurepox, Exatron, Grilonit, Hysol, Isochembond, Lekutherm, Lopox, Nikalet, Paraplex, Quartrex, Scotchcast, Synthane.

Fluoroplastics (PTFE); (FEP, PFA, CTFE, ECTFE, ETFE);1950.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Used in applications needing excellent dielectric strength, chemical, and temperature resistance.
-	It has low mechanical strength and is expensive. Very low coefficient of friction.
-	Trade Name: Teflon.

Polypropylene (PP); 1950's .
-	Thermoplastic, (crystalline), polymer.
-	Used to make medical syringes, beakers, and parts for auto interiors.
-	It possesses high lubricity, high resistance to flexing (excellent for living hinges), excellent dielectric strength and chemical resistance, good impact strength, and high solvent resistance. It is inexpensive and electroplatable. It is difficult to paint, print on, or bond to. It will be attacked by fuming nitric acid and degraded by UV and ionizing radiation.
-	Trade Name: Marlex HGL, Fortilene 1800 series (FDA materials).

Polyimide (PI); 1955.
-	Thermoplastic or thermoset polycondensate.
-	Used in bearing materials, thrust washers, and semiconductor wafer clamps.
-	It has high impact and dielectric strength, high heat resistance (260 ºC continuous, up to 480 ºC intermittent), and a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
-	Trade Name: Vespel, Kapton.

Polyacetal (Acetal); 1958.
-	Thermoplastic.
-	Used in quality toy parts, handles and knobs, and bearing parts.
-	It is lubricious, strong, and has good dimensional stability. Resistance to creep and fatigue, high abrasion and chemical resistance.
-	Trade Name: Delrin, Ultraform.

Polycarbonate (PC); 1958.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	Used to make optical lenses, windows, medical items, CD's, and power tool housings. Also used in truck cabs.
-	It has excellent strength and toughness. It possesses good dimensional stability, dielectric strength, flame retardancy, and impact resistance (highest among transparent rigid materials). It is susceptible to stress cracking with aromatic solvents, and is difficult to machine.
-	Trade Name: Lexan, Makrolon.

Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS); 1960's.
-	Thermoplastic.
-	Used in electronic housings, auto parts, consumer products, pipe fittings, waste pipes, computer housings (electroplated on the inside), and automotive interior and exterior trim.
-	It is tough, hard and rigid. Good chemical resistance and dimensional stability; creep resistance, electroplatable, moderate strength, inexpensive. Tendency to stress crack.
-	Trade Name: Cycolac, Lustran.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK); 1962.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	It has high tensile and flexural strength, high impact strength, and a high fatigue limit. High heat distortion temperature, high chemical resistance, and high radiation resistance. Good electrical properties, good slip and wear characteristics, and low flammability. Easy processing, no thermal after-treatment of injection molding.
-	Trade Name: Arotone, Doctalex, Kadel, Mindel, PEEK, Santolite, Staber, Ultrapek, Zyex.

Ionomer; 1964.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Applications range from tough, scratch-resistant golf balls and bowling pin covers to footwear components, glass coatings, abrasion resistant surfaces and buoys. Can be used to replace glass or crystal. Also used in packaging films and sealants.
-	It has high impact strength at low temperatures, puncture and abrasion resistance, high melt elasticity, and good thermoforming properties. Low sealing temperatures, high sealing seam strength, resistance to grease, oil, and solvents.
-	Trade Name: Aclyn, Himiran, Coathylene, Surlyn, Escor.

Polybutylene (PB); 1964.
-	Thermoplastic polymer.
-	Used to make tubes, sheets, and profile extrusions by extrusion blow molding and/or injection molding.
-	It has high flexibility (even at low temperatures), a low embrittlement temperature, high toughness, high abrasion resistance, high resistance to chemical attack, and resistance to hot water and stress cracking. It has poor handling in the form of semi-finished goods and moldings after processing because of the start of crystal rearrangement.
-	Trade Name: Shell, Mitsui.

Polyphenylene Oxide (PPO); 1965.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	It is easily attacked by some hydrocarbons, although it resists many chemicals. Possesses excellent dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, and high mechanical and dielectric strength.
-	Trade Name: Ashley.

Polysulfone (PSU); 1965.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	Used in electric connectors.
-	This expensive material is electroplatable, and has high strength, good toughness, good dielectric strength, and dimensional stability.
-	Trade Name: Ultrason.

Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS); 1973.
-	Thermoplastic polycondensate.
-	Used to make high performance electrical connectors, other high stress parts.
-	It has high temperature resistance (230 ºC continuous), low temperature endurance, good chemical resistance, and flame retardance.
-	Trade Name: Ryton.

Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP); 1980.
-	Thermoplastic.
-	Used in high-performance engineering applications such as electrical connectors and machine parts. Applications include surgical devices, and some LCP's meet the standards of USP Class VI.
-	It has excellent strength yet is expensive. Good high temperature properties, can be used in thin walls (as thin as 0.2 mm). Parts can withstand vapor phase reflow and autoclaving temperatures of 135 ºC. High chemical resistance and flame retardancy. Very low coefficient of thermal expansion. High tensile modulus from 10 to 24 GPa.
-	Trade Name: Vectra, Xydar.