Page 52 - Carrahers_Polymer_Chemistry,_Eighth_Edition

Introduction to Polymers 15

TABLE 1.10
U. S. Chemical Trade—Imports and Exports (Millions of Dollars)
Year ➔ 1985 1994 2008
Imports Exports Imports Exports Imports Exports
Organic chemicals 6,000 4,600 12,800 10,800 34,800 47,700
Inorganic chemicals 2,000 2,000 4,100 4,100 13,100 16,800
Oils and perfumes — — 3,500 2,000 12,100 9,600
Dyes, colorants — — 2,300 1,900 6,400 3,100
Medicinals/pharmaceuticals 2,700 1,080 6,100 4,700 38,200 59,600
Fertilizers 2,160 1,000 2,700 1,300 7,500 8,400
Plastics and resins 3,800 1,600 8,500 3,300 40,100 * 18,800 *
Others 5,300 4,220 7,600 2,700 26,000 12,700
Total chemicals † 22,000 14,500 51,600 33,400 179,100 176,800
Total 213,000 345,000 502,800 669,100 1,855,000 1,954,000

* Includes both plastics in primary and nonprimary forms but does not include rubber and rubber products.
† Includes nonlisted chemicals.
Source: Department of Commerce.

polymeric or contain a large amount of polymeric materials. Table 1.9 lists some general groupings
of important polymers. Welcome to the wonderful world of polymer science.
The number of professional chemists directly employed with polymers as part of their interest and
assignment is estimated to be 40%–60% of all chemists. As the diversity of chemistry increases,
the dispersion of those dealing with polymers increases. Polymer chemistry is a major tool applied
in biomedical research, synthesis, manufacturing, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical efforts, the
environment, communications, and so forth. “As it was in the beginning” polymers continue to draw
strength from those with diverse training, allowing polymers to directly contribute to solutions for most
of our technological problems including fuel and transportation, building and construction, commu-
nication, medicine and dentistry, and so on. Analytical chemistry is related to the analysis of materi-
als; inorganic is related to the catalysts employed in the synthesis of natural and synthetic polymers;
organic is related to the synthesis of diverse materials; physical chemistry describes the kinetics, ther-
modynamics, and properties of macromolecules; and biological chemistry deals with biopolymers.
Polymeric materials, along with several other chemical industrial products, contribute positively
to the balance of trade (Table 1.10). In fact, plastics and resins show the greatest value increase of
exports minus imports with more than $20 billion net favoring exports. The polymer-intense mate-
rial numbers are higher than that noted in Table 1.10 since fi ber and rubber materials are absent as
a separate entry. Even so, the fi gures demonstrate the positive nature polymers play in our balance
of trade situation.
Table 1.11 contains a listing of the major chemical producers in the United States and the world.
These producers are involved directly and/or indirectly with some form of synthetic polymers.
Essentially, all of the industrially advanced countries of the world have major chemical producers.
Table 1.11 contains a partial listing of these companies.
Thus, polymers play a critical role in our everyday lives, actually forming the basis for both plant
and animal life, and represent an area where chemists continue to make important contributions.

1.4 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Daily, we are becoming more aware of the importance of environmental planning and good environ-
mental actions (practices) and their effect on us. This emphasis is being driven by a number of pressures,

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