Bakelite
Use of Bakelite in haberdashery
Bakelite (/ˈbeɪkəlaɪt/ BAY-kəl-eyet; sometimes spelled Baekelite), or polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, is the first plastic made from synthetic components. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. It was developed by the Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland in Yonkers, New York, in 1907.
Bakelite was patented on December 7, 1909. The creation of a synthetic plastic was revolutionary for its electrical nonconductivity and heat-resistant properties in electrical insulators, radio and telephone casings and such diverse products as kitchenware, jewelry, pipe stems, children's toys, and firearms. The "retro" appeal of old Bakelite products has made them collectible.
Bakelite was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark on November 9, 1993, by the American Chemical Society in recognition of its significance as the world's first synthetic plastic.
| Leo Baekeland | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Leo Baekeland in 1916 | |
| Born | Leo Henricus Arthur Baekeland November 14, 1863 Ghent, Belgium |
| Died | February 23, 1944 (aged 80) Beacon, New York, US |
| Occupation | Chemist, inventor |
| Known for | Plastics research, Bakelite, Novolac |
