Bakelite when was it invented

Bakelite was the first commercial plastic that was completely synthetic , hot-mouldable and, once cooled, produced a hard material that was resistant to heat, electricity and solvents. Its application as an electrical insulator was immediate, but its uses soon began to proliferate. Particularly relevant was the use of bakelite for specific components whose requirements matched perfectly with the properties of the new material, such as the distributor cap of automobiles, the base of radio tubes or the insulating plates on which parts were mounted, explains Jeffrey Meikle, historian of culture and design at the University of Texas USA and author of American Plastic: A Cultural History Rutgers University Press, Of course, the uses of bakelite were not limited to technological components: buttons, poker chips and pieces of games and toys, firearms, kitchen utensils, electric guitars and even jewellery were made from the material; the new plastic went from filling the gap of a specific demand to boosting industrial development in general.

Spurred on by the brilliant success of his product, Baekeland chose an ambitious emblem for his company: the mathematical symbol of infinity. However, bakelite had its obvious limitations: it was resistant, but fragile. The hardness and lack of flexibility that made it suitable for certain uses was a drawback for others. That is why petrochemical companies began investigating new plastics derived from the by-products of fossil fuel processing. More versatile compounds such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride PVC began to emerge, replacing bakelite in many of its applications, including some of those for which it was originally invented.

Click Enter. Login Profile. Es En. Economy Humanities Science Technology. Multimedia OpenMind books Authors. Scientific Insights. Featured author. Robert E. Brookings Institution, Washington D. By carefully controlling the pressure and temperature applied to an intermediate made from the two reagents, he produced a polymer that when mixed with fillers, produced a hard moldable plastic.

Bakelite, though relatively expensive, was soon found to have many uses, especially in the rapidly growing automobile and radio industries. Brightly colored objects made of dyed phenol-formaldehyde plastic, now prized by collectors, were in fact based on processes developed by German chemists and first introduced into the United States in by the American Catalin Corporation. But the Bakelite Corporation was quick to follow suit in producing such vivid plastics. Baekeland retired in to sail his yacht, the Ion , among other activities, and sold his successful company to the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, now a subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company.

Science Matters: The Case of Plastics is a role-playing game in which students consider the positive, negative, and conflicting perspectives of plastics through a debate of the issues. Pop artists set themselves apart by addressing throwaway culture. But how could they make the disposable last? Once set, this plastic was unaffected by heat, solvents or acid, and was electrically resistant and shatterproof. Neither would it crack or discolour when exposed to sunlight. Promoted by Baekeland as "the material of a thousand uses", the first form was moulded, containing phenol formaldehyde, which was used for telephones, light switches, electrical insulators, car parts and many other industrial items.

But these were a drab black or brown in colour. In the s a whole new range of colour was introduced and thermosetting plastics took off to invade every area of modern life. Now cast into tubes, rods and sheets it could be made into almost anything. Reds, greens, yellows and oranges appeared in everyone's kitchens with dinnerware and cooking utensils.

Discover collectable salt and pepper sets in wonderful Art Deco shapes. And it wasn't just the kitchen. Plastic infiltrated throughout the whole home with clocks, radios, telephones and toys all in bright, vibrant colours. Discover the best Bakelite Clock designers. Read about Art Deco Radios from all over the world. Jewelry, and designer objects made from Bakelite, Casein and Celluloid appeared at the Paris exhibition from which Art Deco got its name. The motifs of Art Deco design were expressed in the new plastics among the interiors created by the best artists and designers in each country's pavilion.

The beauty and durability of this magic plastic began to be appreciated with luxury items produced which have survived to this day. It was even used in the fittings and furnishings of the Queen Mary and the Normandie, luxury liners crossing the Atlantic in the s. And just look at this incredibly rare Caravan. How I would love to spend a night in that!