Inventions
Bakelite
Chemical Engineering
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Bakelite is the first plastic made entirely from synthetic components rather than from modified natural materials. The Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland developed it in Yonkers, New York in 1907 and received a patent for the process on December 7, 1909. Bakelite's combination of heat resistance, electrical insulation and moldability made it valuable for early electrical and mechanical parts, telephones, radios and household goods, and it is widely credited with launching the modern plastics industry.
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Developed the first fully synthetic plastic in Yonkers, New York in 1907 and patented the process in 1909.
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