Bakelite has the distinction of being the very first synthetic plastic invented by humans and its properties make it useful for many applications, such as producing jewelry, appliances and many other things.

The Origins of Bakelite

To understand the importance of bakelite, you must first know a little about the history of plastic. While the material is often taken for granted by most people today, until three or four hundred years ago the majority of goods were fabricated from metals or textiles, and in ancient times goods were often made from wood, ivory, animal skins, plant fibers or bones.

While these materials certainly had their advantages, and led to the establishment of incredible civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece, India and Persia, the Industrial Revolution and modern society we have today would not be possible without the invention of plastic, because it has a number of important properties that most materials lack.

Bakelite was invented by Leo Baekeland, a German chemist who got a U.S. patent in 1909. He probably didn’t realize at the time that his material was going to change the world, or perhaps he did. In any event, bakelite has properties that were literally light years ahead of anything else available on the market at the time.

Bakelite Characteristics

The first attribute that made bakelite stand out was its heat and chemical resistance. If an object can’t withstand high temperatures or exposure to certain chemicals, it is extremely limited in its potential applications. Given the fact that automobiles were just becoming popular around the time that Baekeland got his patent, his plastic was perfect for them as well as the electrical industries of the 1900s.

Additionally, bakelite was a hard and durable material, but was also capable of being molded into multiple shapes. It wasn’t long before manufacturers recognized its importance and begin purchasing it so they could manufacture various products such as necklaces and other things. While plastic is not normally a material people would associate with high end jewelry, Bakelite’s impressive and stylish appearance along with its comfortable feel made it well suited to jewelry production, along with many other things.

Is Bakelite Still Viable Today?

With all the other synthetic plastics which have been invented since 1909, once has to ask how viable is bakelite today? This is a good question, since it is common for newer materials to make older ones obsolete. In the case of bakelite, it is still an outstanding plastic even today, and in fact can be used in emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles and even spacecraft.

The reason for this is due to its electrical insulation properties. It is also routinely used in applications such as switches as well as electric appliances. While newer plastics are preferred for many industrial projects and bakelite use isn’t as common as it was from the 1920s to 1950s, it is still around and has gone down in history for the role it played in the development of synthetic materials. Finally, there are collectors who seek out vintage jewelry or clothing made with it.