| Original Message: Bakelite is one particular type of phenolic resin |
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Here is one area where I would humbly suggest I have some expertise, based on a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering. Bakelite is the trade name of one particular phenol-formaldehyde resin formulation, to which wood powder or other materials was usually added as a filler. These materials are generically called phenolic resins. Bakelite was invented by a Belgian chemist who emigrated to the US, Dr. Leo Baekeland. So it is proper to capitalize Bakelite. It is also true that the name of this plastic has become almost a generic term (like kleenex for all Kleenex-like tissues), so I sometimes see it written bakelite. When the patent for Bakelite expired in 1927, the production of this particular phenolic resin took off and many different companies began producing filled and unfilled phenolic resin molded parts as well as bar, sheet, and rod stock. Other trade names for phenolic resins were introduced, including Catalin and Marblette. The materials were made with all sorts of fillers, colorants, and marbling effects, or unfilled and clear. I believe it was at this point in time that phenolic resin rod stock began to be imported into Africa, where it was worked into beads. I also think I read somewhere that a lot or most of this raw stock was made in Germany. It may be that many phenolic resin beads are, in fact, made of the original Bakelite resin formulation and/or from stock produced by the original Bakelite Corp. But unless you know for sure, calling them by their generic material class, phenolic resin, would be best, since otherwise you are claiming a provenance that can't be verified. All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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