Synthetic elements, so functionable

A synthetic element is a chemical element that is handmade and will not occur naturally in nature. We have many different types of synthetic elements around us in our life, and the most common types are synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber and plastic.

About half of all fibers we use are synthetic fibers, and the four dominating synthetic fibers in the market are nylon, polyester,acrylic and polyolefin. A big part of clothes in the market have a certain percentage of synthetic fiber in it in addition to natural fiber. There are a lot of different kinds of synthetic fibers, but most of them have the same common properties; they are heat-sensitive, resistant to most chemicals, resistant to most insects, fungi, and rot, and they are flame resistant.

In world war ll, nylon was used for was equipment, such as parachutes because the fiber is so strong. The material was wanted by women for stockings, but it was too expensive. The middle class and the lower class women would draw a black line down the back of their legs so it would look like they were wearing nylon stockings. Now nylon stockings are more common and more available. Women can use nylon stockings when ever they please.

Synthetic rubber and plastic are also materials we see all around us in our everyday life, and some of us will maybe not realize how much of it we use everyday. Rubber is a very strong and elastic material, and it is water repellent. Rubber is often used for shoe soles and rubber boots because of it's way to resist water and its way to easily bend. Rubber doesn't breathe, so when you use rubber boots, you will easily feel sweaty and warm on your feet. Rubber is also used as tires because it is so strong. Plastic is typically seen as water bottles, containers and wrapping for food. Even CD's are made of plastic. Plastic comes in many variations, from oft to hard, from paper clips to spaceships. It has in time displaced many traditional materials such as; wood, stone, leather, paper, metal, glass and ceramic. These materials are not good for the environment, such as plastic that contains contains nurdles, which are raw materials that all plastics are made of. They are tiny pre-plastic pellets that kill large numbers of fish and birds that mistake them for food.

This all leads me to the conclusion that synthetic materials are such a big part of the 21st century that we will have a hard time to put it aside and not use it in the future. There will be invented a material that is environmentally friendly and serves the same abilities. Let's hope so.