塑料的主要成分是树脂。天然树脂是树木的一种分泌物(即树枝被锯断后切断处的那层黄色胶状体)。合成树脂则是人工合成的一种高分子量聚合物，由许多相同的、简略的结构单元经过共价键重复衔接而成(类似珍珠项链那样串在一起)。
The main component of plastics is resin. Natural resin is a kind of secretion of trees (that is, the Yellow colloidal body at the cut-off place of the branches after being sawed). Synthetic resin is a kind of synthetic high molecular weight polymer, which is made up of many identical and simple structural units through covalent bond repeatedly (similar to pearl necklace).
合成树脂比天然树脂密度小、强度高、耐腐蚀性好。以合成树脂为主要成分，再加上些增塑剂、填充剂、润滑剂或着色剂等辅助资料，即可出产出有必定特性的可塑资料——称为“塑料”。
The synthetic resin has lower density, higher strength and better corrosion resistance than the natural resin. With synthetic resin as the main component and some auxiliary materials such as plasticizers, fillers, lubricants or colorants, we can produce plastic materials with certain characteristics called "plastics".
追溯历史，初次成功研制出塑料的是美籍比利时人、化学家列奥·贝克兰(Leo Baekeland) ，时刻是在20世纪初。贝克兰注册了相关专利，并开设了批量出产塑料的工厂，有些资料称他为“塑料之父”。
Back in history, it was the Belgian American chemist Leo Baekeland who first succeeded in developing plastics, at the beginning of the 20th century. Baekeland has registered relevant patents and set up factories for mass production of plastics. Some materials call him the "father of plastics".
塑料制成的薄膜广泛使用于食物、医药用品等物品的包装，给人们的日子带来了很大便利。但塑料制品有不少缺点，例如耐温功能差、简单决裂或被撕裂等，科学家们一向在设法提高塑料的功能。
The film made of plastic is widely used in the packaging of food, medical supplies and other items, which brings great convenience to people's life. But plastic products have many disadvantages, such as poor temperature resistance, simple crack or tear. Scientists have been trying to improve the function of plastic.