This section provides an overview for bakelite as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 15 bakelite manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked bakelite companies as of November, 2024: 1.BAKELITE SYNTHETICS, 2.PRISM INDUSTRIES, 3.ELKOR.
Table of Contents
Bakelite is the most produced thermosetting resin and the first man-made synthetic resin.
Other names include phenol resin and phenol-formaldehyde resin.
Bakelite was first discovered in 1872 by Bayer of Germany in a reaction between phenol and formaldehyde. It was later industrialized by Leo Baekeland in 1907 and spread throughout the world.
Bakelite is used in a variety of applications due to its high resistance to heat, acids, and oils.
Molding materials are most commonly used for electrical equipment parts and are mainly used for daily commodities, automotive parts, and communication equipment parts.
The majority of applications for laminated products are for printed circuits used in home appliances and electronic devices.
Shell mold is a metal casting process, which is mainly used for casting automotive parts. The raw material for the mold used in this process is a mixture of silica sand and Bakelite called resin sand.
Wood-processing adhesives are often used in the manufacture of plywood, hardboard, and particleboard.
Paints made with Bakelite can withstand harsh environments because they are chemical-resistant and rust-resistant. In addition, when used as a binder for sand molds for 3D printers, it can print with more precise dimensions by making the sand molds stronger.
Plastics can be divided into thermoplastics and thermosetting resins, with Bakelite falling into the latter category. Thermosetting resins are formed by the reaction curing of liquid raw materials upon heating.
Once molded, they do not return to a liquid state when reheated, making it possible to create highly heat-resistant molded products.
Since the late 2000s, Bakelite has consistently ranked first among thermosetting resins in terms of domestic production volume.
The advantages of Bakelite include electrical insulation, heat resistance, flame resistance, adhesiveness, chemical resistance, acid resistance, and thermal insulation. In particular, its high heat resistance is its greatest feature, so many products are manufactured applying this performance.
On the other hand, as a disadvantage, it is weak against alkali and has low impact resistance.
Bakelite is produced by polymerizing phenol and formaldehyde. Depending on the catalyst used, two types of Bakelite precursors are synthesized: novolac and resol.
From these precursors, Bakelite is made by adding a cross-linking agent to further the reaction.
1. Novolac
A mixture of phenol and formaldehyde is reacted at or above the boiling point for 1.5~3 hours using hydrochloric acid or oxalic acid as an acid catalyst. This leads to repeated addition and condensation reactions, resulting in linear polymers in which phenols are joined by CH2 groups.
After the reaction, water and unreacted phenol are removed, the product is removed from the reaction tank, cooled and solidified, and crushed to obtain Novolac. By reacting this with hexamethylenetetramine, a curing agent, the molecules of the Novolac are cross-linked to form thermosetting insoluble and insoluble Bakelite.
2. Resol
Resol is reacted at 80-100°C for 1.5-3 hours using an alkali catalyst and with an excess of formaldehyde over phenol. This produces a mixture of monomethylolphenol, dimethylolphenol, and trimethylolphenol, which condense to form resol.
Further reaction under heat and pressure results in cross-linking of the dimethylphenol and trimethylphenol portions to form thermosetting insoluble and insoluble Bakelite. The reaction of the resol with an alkali catalyst, phenol, and formaldehyde resols generally takes place during the processing of Bakelite molded products.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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J&Q Insulation Materials Co. Ltd. is a manufacturer of insulation materials established in 2020 and headquartered in Shaanxi, China. The company specializes in the production of a wide range of insulation products, including FR4 sheets, 3240 epoxy sheets, Bakelite sheets, phenolic cotton sheets, and phenolic paper laminated sheets. T also offers epoxy resins, fiberglass tubes, HDPE boards, polypropylene plate sheets, and more. The company has passed SGS and ISO 9001 certifications, serving various industries, including electronics building and construction, industrial insulation, and transportation. It exports products across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Colibrys, a joint company established in 2001 and headquartered in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, is a manufacturer, designer, and supplier of micro-electro-mechanical system sensors and electronic machines. The company offers a wide range of products including mechanical power transmissions, power generation systems, and seismic sensors. These products are used in industries such as aerospace, defense, energy, and transportation. Their products are utilized for various applications including measuring acceleration, inclination, and seismic activity, enabling data collection for various critical applications. The company also offers services such as aerial refueling and air delivery systems.
Noves Electronics Co., Ltd, established in 2002 and based in Dong Guan City, China, is a manufacturer of composite materials, insulation engineering plastic, and high-temperature resistance composite material. The company also produces other products such as ESD Bakelite sheets, FR4, G10 & G11 fiberglass sheets, and POM sheets & acrylic. With technology and expertise, the company manufactures wave solder pallet material that meets quality standards and sells to many clients in the electronics industry, such as TCL, Samsung, LG, and Foxconn.
Guangzhou Ning E-plastics Co.Ltd (GNE) is a Chinese manufacturer of industrial plastic materials that was established in TianHe, Guangzhou in 2010. The company specializes in producing plastic materials for use in engineering operations, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), teflon, and polyoxymethylene (POM). It also offers custom design, CNC machining and worldwide export services for customer projects. GNE operates internationally, primarily serving clients in the construction, architecture, food processing, and automotive industries.
Nutech Engineers and Polymers is a manufacturer, supplier, and exporter of a wide range of polymer products, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Gujarat, India. The company’s main product line consists of PVC sheets, industrial HDPE and LDPE sheets, and laminate sheets. It also offers Bakelite rods, PVC rods, polypropylene rods, and various valves and fittings, along with epoxy floor coating services. The company exports to other countries and caters to diverse industries, including electrical, electronics, engineering, chemical, and food processing.
POLYCHEM INTERNATIONAL is a distributor of electrical insulating materials established in 1972 and headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company’s product offerings include Bakelite sheets, glass epoxy materials, press boards, mica products, and phenolic resins. It also provides self-adhesive tapes and labels, HV insulating tapes, FRP polyester pigments, electrical insulation varnish, and other electrical insulation products. The company is an authorized stockist for many manufacturing companies, including Bakelite Hylam Ltd. and Senapathy Whiteley Pvt. Ltd. It caters to the electrical, electronics, power generation, and automotive industries.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | BAKELITE SYNTHETICS |
20.4%
|
2 | PRISM INDUSTRIES |
9.9%
|
3 | ELKOR |
8.7%
|
4 | Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. |
7.4%
|
5 | Cylex Engineering Plastics Limited |
7.2%
|
6 | TECHNOPLAST |
7.2%
|
7 | O-Yang Product Co., Ltd |
6.1%
|
8 | Millborn Switchgears Pvt. Ltd |
6.1%
|
9 | Nutech Engineers And Polymers |
5.6%
|
10 | Nimrod Plastics |
4.7%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the bakelite page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
India | 6 | 42.9% |
China | 3 | 21.4% |
United States of America | 1 | 7.1% |
Japan | 1 | 7.1% |
Poland | 1 | 7.1% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 7.1% |
Republic of Korea | 1 | 7.1% |