Bakelit - what is this material, what are its properties?

Bakelit - what is this? The material is one of the oldest types of plastics developed by mankind. It is obtained by condensing phenols with formaldehyde resins, in the presence of alkali. Outwardly, the material may resemble amber, ebonite, celluloid and even ivory.

Invention of Bakelite

Bakelit - what is this material? The idea of developing ultra-strong, non-flammable plastic came to the Belgian inventor Leo Bakeland in the distant 1909. For a long time, the material was used exclusively to meet the needs of industrial areas. Later, light weight and extreme strength of Bakelite served as excellent properties for specialists in the manufacture of inexpensive jewelry.

At first, the material was not in demand. Only in the 40s of the last century, thanks to a significant expansion of the color palette, Bakelite began to attract the attention of the most numerous enterprises specializing in the manufacture of costume jewelery and various household accessories.

In the postwar period, the demand for bakelite declined slightly. A new wave of popularity of the material fell on the 80s, when bakelite jewelry again became in demand, mainly thanks to American designers. In particular, a huge collection of bakelite decorations was available from the famous artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol, after the death of which the products were sold at auction for a record at that time amount.

Today attention to bakelite, as to high-strength, extremely light and textured material, still remains quite high, however, like its price.

How to make Bakelite

A mixture of formalin with phenols in the presence of an alkaline or acidic catalyst forms bakelite. What is it? Speaking of formalin, it is obtained by oxidation of methanol at a temperature of 650 ° C in the presence of a catalyst in the form of silver. Another component of Bakelite - phenol is extracted from wood, brown peat, oil products .

The ingredients of Bakelite are poured into specialized forms and heated to 80 ° C. The raw material "Bakelite A" at room temperature has properties similar to rosin.

To avoid the formation of cavities and bubbles in the structure of Bakelite, the material is polymerized at an elevated pressure level of about 8 atmospheres. When polymerization of Bakelite in sealed vessels, the necessary pressure is achieved by itself.

Bakelite - material properties

Bakelite is a strong, hard material that transforms into an infusible, insoluble form under the influence of prolonged heating. The material is perfectly soluble in alcohol. Therefore, this property is successfully used for the production of bakelite varnishes.

The material has a strong coating. Bakelite is an excellent conductor of heat, its surface is well resists friction and pressure. Processing of bakelite billets can be performed on a lathe.

Among other things, the material is highly resistant to the effects of corrosive chemicals. Only concentrated solutions of nitric and sulfuric acid remain an exception.

Naturally, like any other material, bakelite also has its drawbacks. What is it? First of all, here it is worth noting the density and increased fragility of the material. Things based on Bakelite are massive. Therefore, the material is absolutely unsuitable for the production of modern electronics housings.

At the same time, Bakelite is harmful because of the presence of formaldehyde and a number of other toxic components. Proceeding from this, the possibility of using the material in some industrial spheres remains extremely limited.

How to distinguish a real bakelite from a fake?

Bakelit - what is this? First of all, the material is characterized by such valuable properties as resistance to atmospheric influences, acids, is an excellent dielectric and can be mechanically processed.

Despite the whole mass of distinctive properties of the material, there are often counterfeits. However, there are several proven methods that make it possible to distinguish this type of plastic from a fake:

1. Treatment of the back surface of Bakelite with a household cleaning agent necessarily leads to the appearance of a noticeable patina in the form of a yellowish speck.
2. Influencing bakelite with hot water causes the appearance of a specific smell that slightly resembles the aroma of camphor.

In fact, it is quite easy to make a fake under Bakelite. If there is a certain set of chemical components, the imitation of the material can be made at home. Often, only with testing and close, close examination it becomes clear that the material is not genuine.

Production of bakelite ornaments

Is Bakelite harmful? This question sets the most numerous masters who decided to start making jewelry. At the time of the appearance of the material, the safety of its use raised some doubts. However, at the present time the composition of Bakelite is devoid of poisonous, potentially harmful substances. Therefore today it is so fashionable to use this base for jewelry production.

There are craftsmen who use bakelite cases of old household appliances for making ornaments. Usually, with this method of manufacture, the buyer of the decoration is warned of his origin.

Cost of products from Bakelite

If we talk about the cost of bakelite jewelry, it depends on the complexity of the product, the collector's value and the authority of the manufacturer. Usually, bakelite decorations of black, green, iris colors can be bought at the lowest price.