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HomeOver 100 years of plastics
Plastics in their various different forms and guises have been used for over a hundred years, and imagining a life without them is a difficult.
Formaldehyde was used in the production of one of the first forms of plastics, phenolic resin, which is produced by curing formaldehyde and phenol at a high pressure under a high temperature. In 1907 the Belgian chemist Leo Bakeland patented the “heat and pressure” process allowing for the use of phenolic resins on an industrial scale.
The first mass production of phenolic resin started in 1909 as electrical moulding or insulation. The rapid development of the electrical industry lead to an increased demand for the product and in 1910 the first subsidiary of the Rutgers began to manufacture phenolic resins under what would soon become a worldwide household name “Bakelite”.
Bakelite products revolutionised the market place, with uses ranging from jewellery, to telephones and kitchen appliances, it became an icon of the 1920s. Though the use of Bakelite has declined over the years, phenolic resins are still widely used in a variety applications from kitchen countertops to break pads for cars. And new developments in technology and production methods mean that they will be around for a long time to come.
Wikipedia Commons : August Wilhelm von Hofmann
History
Discovered in 1859, formaldehyde was found to come from the aldehyde family of chemicals (a family of chemicals traditionally used in fragrances). Despite being the simplest aldehyde in terms of chemical structure, formaldehyde was the last one of the group to be identified. This is presumed to be due to its composition, as formaldehyde is very quickly broken down by photo- oxidation, making it difficult to isolate.
In 1835, German chemist Baron Justus von Liebig published groundbreaking research in organic chemistry, paving the way for the identification of the aldehyde chemical group.
Then in 1859, when attempting the synthesis of methylene glycol, Alexander Mikhailovich Butlerov stumbled across an unknown solution. Mr. Butlerov had discovered the previously unknown “formyl aldehyde”, however he did not yet know what the substance was.
In 1868, A. W. Hofmann, professor of chemistry and director of the laboratory of the University of Berlin, thought it “bad science” that the simplest member of the aldehyde family was still unknown. He thus set out to clearly establish both the structure and identity of formaldehyde – CH2O. His method is seen as the predecessor to the modern formaldehyde manufacturing process.
Commercial Production
Commercial production of formaldehyde began in Germany in the 1880’s and spread to Belgium, France and the United States by the 1900s. Initially small quantities (5-20kg) were manufactured for use in a few factories and university laboratories, however large-scale manufacturing didn't begin until the 1920's with the dawn of the industrial age.
Since then developments in science and technology have not only ensured more efficient means of production but also increased demand with the discovery of new applications of formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde was first used as an embalming agent or medical preservative, but nowadays these uses represent less than 1% of total formaldehyde sales. The simplicity and versatility of formaldehyde has lent it to a variety of different uses spanning from plastics to vaccines.
In 2010, production of formaldehyde in Europe was in the region of 2.3 million tons, representing use in a number of different industries including: