Organic chemistry
Since the invention of the first synthetic polymer product, bakelite, synthetic polymer products have frequently been invented.
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)
The synthesis of poly("N"-isopropylacrylamide) began with the synthesis of the acrylamide monomer by Sprecht in 1956. In 1957, Shearer patented the first application for what would be later identified as PNIPA for the use as a rodent repellent. Early work was piqued by theoretical curiosity of the material properties of PNIPA. The first report of PNIPA came in 1968, which elucidated the unique thermal behavior in aqueous solutions. The 1980s marked an explosion in interest in PNIPAs with the realization of potential applications due to its unique thermal behavior in aqueous solutions.