18 Facts About Bakelite

Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, better known as Bakelite, is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde.

The commercial success of Bakelite inspired the industry to pour money into developing other synthetic plastics.

The subsidiary formed at that time, Bakelite AG, was the first to produce Bakelite at an industrial scale.

Bakelite formed the General Bakelite Company of Perth Amboy, NJ, as a U S company to manufacture and market his new industrial material.

Bakelite made overseas connections to produce materials in other countries.

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Bakelite Company produced "transparent" cast resin for a small market during the 1910s and 1920s.

Once Baekeland's heat and pressure patents expired in 1927, Bakelite Corporation faced serious competition from other companies.

Thermosetting resins such as Bakelite required heat and pressure during the molding cycle, but could be removed from the molding process without being cooled, again making the molding process faster.

Characteristics of Bakelite made it particularly suitable as a molding compound, an adhesive or binding agent, a varnish, and a protective coating.

Bakelite was particularly suitable for the emerging electrical and automobile industries because of its extraordinarily high resistance to electricity, heat, and chemical action.

Bakelite was used for non-conducting parts of telephones, radios and other electrical devices, including bases and sockets for light bulbs and electron tubes, supports for any type of electrical components, automobile distributor caps and other insulators.

Bakelite was very commonly used in making molded grip panels on handguns, submachine guns and machineguns, as well as numerous knife handles and "scales" through the first half of the 20th century.

Bakelite was used to make presentation boxes for Breitling watches.

Kitchenware made with Bakelite, including canisters and tableware, was promoted for its resistance to heat and to chipping.

Bakelite was sometimes used in the pistol grip, hand guard, and butt stock of firearms.

Bakelite continues to be used for wire insulation, brake pads and related automotive components, and industrial electrical-related applications.

Bakelite stock is still manufactured and produced in sheet, rod and tube form for industrial applications in the electronics, power generation and aerospace industries, and under a variety of commercial brand names.

Bakelite is used in the mounting of metal samples in metallography.