Horn

It is an organic material containing 80% keratin. It is thermoplastic and can be worked after dry heating or immersion in boiling water or alkaline solutions. After softening it can be pressed obtaining objects and various laminas, such as tobacco containers, boxes, buttons, pens and combs. It was great success, especially in England, before the advent of plastics.

Homopolymers

The name homopolymer signifies a polymer whose molecular chain is composed of units of the same molecule. A copolymer is instead composed of units of the same molecule, but with different molecules inserted at random at points along the chain. This difference makes for great compactness in homopolymer chains. This results in a higher fusion point, greater resistance, greater rigidity and a harder surface than the copolymers. The characteristic of homopolymers compared with copolymers can be found in polyolefin, polyamide and acetal resins.