Bakelite - what is it? The material is one of the oldest types of plastics developed by mankind. It is obtained by the condensation of phenols with formaldehyde resins, in the presence of alkali. Externally, the material may somewhat resemble amber, ebonite, celluloid and even ivory.
Invention of Bakelite
Bakelite - what is this material? The idea of developing heavy-duty, non-flammable plastic came to the Belgian inventor Leo Baekeland back in 1909. For a long time, the material was used exclusively to meet the needs of industrial sectors. Later, Bakelite's light weight and extreme strength proved to be an excellent asset for low cost jewelry makers.
The material was not in great demand at first. 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 jewelry and various household accessories.
In the post-war period, the demand for Bakelite declined slightly. A new wave of material popularitycame in the 80s, when Bakelite jewelry again became in demand, mainly due to American designers. In particular, the famous artist and film director Andy Warhol had a huge collection of Bakelite jewelry, after whose death the items were sold at auction for a record amount at that time.
Today, attention to bakelite as a high-strength, extremely light and textured material is still quite high, however, as well as its price.
How Bakelite is made
A mixture of formalin with phenols in the presence of an alkaline or acid catalyst forms Bakelite. What is it? If we talk about formalin, then it is obtained by oxidizing methanol at a temperature of 650oC in the presence of a catalyst in the form of silver. Another component of bakelite – phenol is extracted from wood, brown peat, oil refinery products.
Bakelite ingredients are poured into specialized molds and heated to 80oC. Raw material "Bakelite A" at room temperature has properties similar to rosin.
In order to avoid the formation of cavities and bubbles in the bakelite structure, the material is polymerized at an elevated pressure level, about 8 atmospheres. When Bakelite polymerizes in sealed vessels, the required pressure is reached by itself.
Bakelite - material properties
Bakelite is a strong, hard material that transforms into an infusible, insoluble formunder the influence of prolonged heating. The material is highly soluble in alcohol. Therefore, this property is successfully used for the production of bakelite varnishes.
The material has a durable coating. Bakelite is an excellent conductor of heat, its surface resists friction and pressure well. Bakelite blanks can be machined on a lathe.
In addition, the material is highly resistant to caustic chemicals. The only exceptions are concentrated solutions of nitric and sulfuric acid.
Naturally, like any other material, Bakelite also has its drawbacks. What is it? First of all, 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 cases.
At the same time, Bakelite is harmful due to the presence of formaldehyde and a number of other toxic components in the composition. Based on this, the possibility of using the material in some industrial areas remains extremely limited.
How to tell a real Bakelite from a fake?
Bakelite - what is it? First of all, the material has such valuable properties as resistance to atmospheric influences, acids, is an excellent dielectric and can be easily processed mechanically.
Despite the whole mass of pronounced distinctive properties of the material, there are often fakes. However, there are severalproven ways to distinguish this type of plastic from fake:
- Treatment of the back of Bakelite with a household cleaner will inevitably result in a noticeable patina in the form of a yellowish speck.
- Exposure to Bakelite with hot water causes a specific odor slightly reminiscent of camphor.
In fact, making a fake Bakelite is quite simple. If there is a certain set of chemical components, the material can be imitated at home. Often, it is only through testing and close, careful examination that it becomes clear that the material is not genuine.
Production of bakelite jewelry
Is Bakelite harmful? This question is asked by 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 present, the composition of Bakelite is devoid of toxic, potentially harmful substances. Therefore, today it is so fashionable to use this basis for the production of jewelry.
There are craftsmen who use bakelite cases of antique household appliances to make jewelry. Usually, with this method of manufacture, the buyer of the jewelry is warned about its origin.
The cost of bakelite products
If we talk about the cost of bakelite jewelry, then it depends on the complexity of the production of the product, the collection value and the authority of the manufacturer. Usually,bakelite jewelry in black, green, iris shades can be bought at the lowest price.
