Biography of dr leo hendrik baekeland articles
•
Leo Baekeland. How a Shoemaker’s Son Became the ‘Father of Plastics’
At the beginning of the twentieth century, Ghent-born American chemist Leo H. Baekeland (1863-1944) brought the very first fully synthetic plastic onto the market. The new material, which was given the name Bakelite, turned out to be a hit with its many applications. In the US, Baekeland was honored as the “father of plastics”. Historian Joris Mercelis wrote a book about the inventor who brought science and industry closer together.
© Ghent University Archive
Plastic pollution is now seen as one of the most pressing global environmental problems. When Leo Baekeland was celebrated as the “father of plastics,” however, this designation had almost exclusively positive connotations. In addition to his contributions to the emergence of the synthetic plastics industry – the work for which he is best known – Baekeland also invented a
•
Colorful objects made of Bakelite—jewelry, telephones, radios, and billiard balls, to name just a few—brightened everyday life in the first half of the 20th century. Today these vintage consumer goods are prized by antique dealers and collectors.
A polymeric plastic made from phenol and formaldehyde, Bakelite was one of the earliest synthetic materials to transform the material basis of modern life. It was named for its inventor, Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863–1944), who discovered the durable plastic in 1907. Baekeland’s inventive and entrepreneurial genius also propelled him into several other new chemical technological ventures throughout his life.
A Fortune from Photographic Paper
After completing his doctorate at the University of Ghent in his native Belgium, Baekeland taught for several years. In 1889, when he was 26, he traveled to New York on a fellowship to continue his study of chemistry; this same fellowship also allowed him to visit universities in England, Scotland,
•
Leo Baekeland
Belgian chemist (1863–1944); uppfinnare of Bakelite
Leo Baekeland | |
|---|---|
Baekeland in 1916 | |
| Born | Leo Hendrik Baekeland (1863-11-14)November 14, 1863 Ghent, Belgium |
| Died | February 23, 1944(1944-02-23) (aged 80) Beacon, New York, U.S. |
| Education | University of Ghent |
| Occupation(s) | Chemist, inventor |
| Known for | Plastics research, Bakelite, Novolac, Velox photographic paper |
| Spouse | Céline Swarts (m. ) |
| Children | Jenny Nina Rose Baekeland George Washington Baekeland Nina Baekeland |
| Awards | John Scott Medal(1910) William H. Nichols Medal(1910) Willard Gibbs Award(1913) Perkin Medal(1916)[1] Franklin Medal(1940) |
Leo Hendrik BaekelandHonFRSE (; Dutch:[ˈbɑkəlɑnt]; November 14, 1863 – February 23, 1944) was a Belgian chemist. Educated in Belgium and Germany, he spent most of his career in the United States. He is best known for the inventions of Velox photograph