Leo Hendrik Baekeland was a Belgian-born chemist who spent most of his career in the United States and is known as the father of the plastics industry. He first made his fortune in photography, inventing Velox photographic paper in 1893, the first commercially successful photographic printing paper, and selling his company to Eastman Kodak in 1899 before turning to synthetic resin chemistry. In 1907 he invented Bakelite, a plastic made from phenol and formaldehyde that, unlike earlier semi-synthetic materials, permanently retained its molded shape after heating and resisted heat and electricity, making it the first fully synthetic plastic and the material that opened what became known as the age of plastics. Its excellent electrical insulation and heat resistance made it widely used in radios, telephones and electrical components, and by the time of his death world production of Bakelite had reached roughly 175,000 tons a year across more than 15,000 different products; he held more than 100 patents and received the Perkin Medal in 1916 and the Franklin Medal in 1940.
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Why is Leo Baekeland called the father of the plastics industry?
He invented Bakelite in 1907, an inexpensive, non-flammable and versatile plastic that began the modern plastics industry.
Baekeland was a Belgian chemist, educated in Belgium and Germany, who spent most of his career in the United States. He is best known for inventing Velox photographic paper in 1893 and Bakelite in 1907. He has been called the Father of the Plastics Industry for his invention of Bakelite, an inexpensive, non-flammable and versatile plastic, which marked the beginning of the modern plastics industry.
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Source Wikipedia: Leo Baekeland
Invented
Developed the first fully synthetic plastic in Yonkers, New York in 1907 and patented the process in 1909.
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Source Wikipedia: Leo BaekelandLead sentence 1Quote, Lead sentence 1
Leo Hendrik Baekeland ( BAYK-land, Dutch: [ˈleːjoː ˈɦɛndrɪɡ ˈbaːkəlɑnt]; November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944) was a Belgian chemist.
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1. Wikipedia: Leo Baekeland
Early life, birth sentence
Leo Baekeland was born in Ghent, Belgium, on November 14, 1863
Article body, sentence on his death
He died of a stroke in a sanatorium in Beacon, New York, in 1944.
Lead sentence, descriptive clause
was a Belgian chemist
Infobox, Born row, ISO date
Born: Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863-11-14)
Infobox, Died row
February 23, 1944(1944-02-23) (aged 80)
Lead sentence, full name
Leo Hendrik Baekeland HonFRSE
In Field: Chemical Engineering, Introduction
He has been called "The Father of the Plastics Industry" for his invention of Bakelite, an inexpensive, non-flammable and versatile plastic, which marked the beginning of the modern plastics industry.
In Group: Industrial Chemists and Process Inventors, Introduction
Leo Hendrik Baekeland ( BAYK-land, Dutch: [ˈleːjoː ˈɦɛndrɪɡ ˈbaːkəlɑnt]; November 14, 1863, February 23, 1944) was a Belgian chemist.
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