Engineering plastics developed rapidly in the 1950s. Although nylon 66 resin was successfully developed and put into production as early as 1939, it was mainly used in the manufacture of synthetic fibers. It was not until the 1950s that it broke through the traditional use of pure fibers and was shaped to make plastic. Engineering plastics have really developed rapidly. After the successful development of polyoxymethylene and polycarbonate in the late 1950s, their emergence is of great significance. Due to the high crystallinity of polyoxymethylene, it imparts excellent mechanical properties, and for the first time, plastics are among the structural materials as materials that can replace metals. Later, with the successful development of acetal copolymer and the popularity of screw injection molding machines, the important position of engineering plastics in the field of materials was further established. Polycarbonate is a transparent engineering plastic with excellent comprehensive properties. It is widely used and is one of the fastest growing engineering plastics. In the field of engineering plastics, its output and consumption rank second only to polyamide.
In 1961, DuPont developed a polyimide in the United States, opening the road to the development of special engineering plastics. The emergence of polyimide has also promoted the development of many heat-resistant engineering plastics such as polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfide and polybenzimidazole, which have had a profound impact on the development of the plastics industry.
In 1964, GM invested its polyphenylene ether resin in industrial production.
In 1980, ICI developed a special engineering plastic polyetheretherketone (PEEK) with a melting point of up to 336 °C. PEEK has attracted great attention due to its excellent heat resistance, radiation resistance and chemical resistance, and its ability to be injection molded. Composite materials made from glass or carbon fiber based on PEEK have been used in aerospace and aerospace applications.