material that made him the architect of buildings of a variety that exceeded
everything ever known in the past – an analogy that Staudinger liked to use:
Not only molecules but also [. . .] macromolecules can be compared to buildings that are
made essentially from just a few kinds of building materials – carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen atoms. If there are only a few dozen or hundred of them, all that can be made
with them are small molecules and, therefore, relatively primitive buildings. However,
when 10,000 or 100,000 are available, buildings of endless variety can be produced:
residential buildings, factory halls, skyscrapers, palaces etc. Structures can also be produced then that are unimaginable when only a small amount of building material is
available. The same is true of macromolecules. It is obvious that new properties are of
course observed here too that are not possible with small molecules of low molecular
substances. The number of possible macromolecular compounds is infinitely large. The size
of the macromolecules also means that they can be designed in no end of different ways,
again in the same way as is the case with buildings ([1], pp. 94–95; cf. [1], pp. 330–331, [2],
p. 84 and [21], p. 26)
2.8 Basic Research Triggers Industrial Boom
Staudinger himself was certain right from the start that his macromolecule concept
was significant not only at the theoretical level and did not just help progress to be
made in the laboratory. It was a milestone in basic research that pointed the way to
new approaches in the industrial production of polymers. Staudinger expected the
“in-depth understanding of the inescapable connections between the structure of the
[. . .] plastics, i.e. the size and shape of their macromolecules, and their physical
properties to lead to new ways to improve the properties of these substances [. . .]. It
will be possible to manufacture products that are adapted to their respective use
more effectively than the products supplied by nature by deliberately changing the
structure.” This quotation is taken from the introduction to the first German plastics
manual entitled “Fortschritte der Chemie, Physik und Technik der
makromolekularen Stoffe” of which he was one of the publishers ([22]; quoted in
[17], p. 169, footnote 224). “Synthetic rubber is, for example, [. . .] tougher than
natural rubber [. . .] and it is more suitable for car tyres.” [10, p. 15]
Staudinger’s self-confident predictions proved to be correct; the macromolecular
concept stimulated material research and really did lead to an industrial boom soon
afterwards:
• “Thanks to the co-operation with Hermann Staudinger, the second half of the
1920s and the 1930s were trailblazing years for industrial research [. . .], since
Staudinger’s macromolecular model represented a very viable theoretical
resource. It was possible to tackle specific development problems and create
new experimental conditions with it” [17, p. 60].
• “During the period between 1929, when the research team at I. G.
Farbenindustrie produced the first (marketable, editor’s note) polystyrene, and
1932, the group developed synthetic polymers at a speed of about one new
product per day. It goes without saying that not all of them were viable, but some
96
M. Weber and G. Deussing
everything ever known in the past – an analogy that Staudinger liked to use:
Not only molecules but also [. . .] macromolecules can be compared to buildings that are
made essentially from just a few kinds of building materials – carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
and nitrogen atoms. If there are only a few dozen or hundred of them, all that can be made
with them are small molecules and, therefore, relatively primitive buildings. However,
when 10,000 or 100,000 are available, buildings of endless variety can be produced:
residential buildings, factory halls, skyscrapers, palaces etc. Structures can also be produced then that are unimaginable when only a small amount of building material is
available. The same is true of macromolecules. It is obvious that new properties are of
course observed here too that are not possible with small molecules of low molecular
substances. The number of possible macromolecular compounds is infinitely large. The size
of the macromolecules also means that they can be designed in no end of different ways,
again in the same way as is the case with buildings ([1], pp. 94–95; cf. [1], pp. 330–331, [2],
p. 84 and [21], p. 26)
2.8 Basic Research Triggers Industrial Boom
Staudinger himself was certain right from the start that his macromolecule concept
was significant not only at the theoretical level and did not just help progress to be
made in the laboratory. It was a milestone in basic research that pointed the way to
new approaches in the industrial production of polymers. Staudinger expected the
“in-depth understanding of the inescapable connections between the structure of the
[. . .] plastics, i.e. the size and shape of their macromolecules, and their physical
properties to lead to new ways to improve the properties of these substances [. . .]. It
will be possible to manufacture products that are adapted to their respective use
more effectively than the products supplied by nature by deliberately changing the
structure.” This quotation is taken from the introduction to the first German plastics
manual entitled “Fortschritte der Chemie, Physik und Technik der
makromolekularen Stoffe” of which he was one of the publishers ([22]; quoted in
[17], p. 169, footnote 224). “Synthetic rubber is, for example, [. . .] tougher than
natural rubber [. . .] and it is more suitable for car tyres.” [10, p. 15]
Staudinger’s self-confident predictions proved to be correct; the macromolecular
concept stimulated material research and really did lead to an industrial boom soon
afterwards:
• “Thanks to the co-operation with Hermann Staudinger, the second half of the
1920s and the 1930s were trailblazing years for industrial research [. . .], since
Staudinger’s macromolecular model represented a very viable theoretical
resource. It was possible to tackle specific development problems and create
new experimental conditions with it” [17, p. 60].
• “During the period between 1929, when the research team at I. G.
Farbenindustrie produced the first (marketable, editor’s note) polystyrene, and
1932, the group developed synthetic polymers at a speed of about one new
product per day. It goes without saying that not all of them were viable, but some
96
M. Weber and G. Deussing