Organic Glasses

JSGT 1936 V20 T019-T034

A general review of the constitution and properties of hard, transparent resins or organic glasses. The condensation resins include derivatives (a) of formaldehyde with phenol (e.g. bakelite), with urea (e.g. Pollopas), thiourea or toluene sulphonamide; and (b) of polyhydric alcohols and polybasic acids (the "glyptals "). The polymerisation resins, which include vinyl or acryl derivatives ate obtained either by the addition of compounds to a triple bond or by splitting off the elements of water or hydrogen halide from a saturated hydroxyl- or halogeno-compound. The problems of the molecular structure and of methods of improving the hardness and durability of the resins for commercial purposes are discussed. Reference is made to various commercial products derived from resins, and a comparison is made in tabular form of the general and physical properties of organic glasses and commercial inorganic glasses.

Gilbert T. Morgan, N. J. L. Megson & E. Leighton Holmes