Plastics begets its newest c h i l d . . . synthetic rubber U n d e r the impelling influence of war, the full meaning of plastics is bursting upon the public in all its dazzling ramifications. T o people w h o think of plastics as telep h o n e sets, radio cabinets, and automobile gadgets, it comes as a surprise that nylon stockings are made of thread4i\e plastics . . . that some of the finest modern paints are liquid plastics . . . and that synthetic
rubber is just an elastic plastic. The hard plastics, the thread'li\e plastics and the liquid plastics have created vast fields for this newest of industries. N o w the elastic plastics are opening up new vistas. Army tanks, jeeps and many other American weapons will be riding on synthetic rubber and eventually, the American motorist will find this product freeing
him of rationing shackles. The supplying of materials for plastics is one of Koppers' many war jobs. Koppers is making airplane catapults, anti-aircraft gun mounts, airplane, submarine and autcv motive piston rings, pitch coke to speed aluminum production, coke plants to in' crease steel production and dozens of other products.—Koppers Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Coal has long been the chief source of plastics intermediates, the basic materials being tar acids, light oils, naphthalene, etc. Coal is also one of the ci \ief sources of some of the most important ingredient* of synthetic rubbers . . . including styrene, made from benzene, which is combined with buta-
phates and various phthalates, are used as softeners and plasticizers; coal tars and tar oils are themselves rubber softeners. Koppers recovers and supplies these raw materials for the manufacture of materials for plastics and synthetic rubber. It also developed the first large-scale American suppiy of am.•·.!» >ni'j~ tV!"rev-:?•*·>*? ~*Kicb ??fir»d*H
