Bakelite – the first mass-produced plastic #History #Invention
Everyone these days is used to items made of plastic, it’s ubiquitous. Back in the early part of the 20th century, this wasn’t the case. No plastic meant things were made out of wood, metal, and other products, which limited production.
The Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland first created Bakelite in Yonkers, New York, in 1907.
Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, better known as Bakelite, was the first plastic made from synthetic components. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde.
Because of its electrical nonconductivity and heat-resistant properties, it became a great commercial success. It was used 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.
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