Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Chemistry / Difference Between Bakelite and Plastic

Difference Between Bakelite and Plastic

October 19, 2015 Posted by Admin

Key Difference – Bakelite vs Plastic
 

Plastic and Bakelite are both organic polymers, having a very large molecular weight though there exists a difference between the two based on their properties and usage. Bakelite is the first synthetic plastic and is known as a “material of thousand uses” due to its versatile applications. There are so many varieties of plastic materials with unique properties and applications. In the modern society, plastic materials replace traditional materials such as wood, glass, ceramics. Bakelite is different from other plastics due to its unique properties. The key difference between Bakelite and plastic is, Bakelite is the first synthetically produced thermosetting plastic with heat resistant and non-conductivity of electricity.   

What is Bakelite?

Bakelite is a special type of plastic with its unique properties. It is a phenol-formaldehyde resin; it was first synthetically produced in 1907 by Belgian-born American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland. The invention of Bakelite is considered as a landmark in Chemistry because it is the first synthetically produced plastic with properties such as electric non-conductivity and thermosetting material. It is used in many applications ranging from telephones, electrical gadgets and jewelry to cooking equipment.

Difference Between Bakelite and Plastic

What is Plastic?

Plastic is the most abundant polymeric material that contains a wide range of varieties including synthetic and semi-synthetic varieties. Plastics are very convenient to use and are economical. In the modern world, plastic has replaced many traditional materials; for example cotton, ceramic, wood, stone, leather, born, paper, metal, and glass.

Key Difference - Bakelite vs Plastic

The plastic manufacturers, based on the properties and usage, have categorized plastics as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET 1), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE 2), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE 4), Polyvinyl Chloride (V3), Polypropylene (PP 5), Polystyrene (PS 6), Miscellaneous types of Plastic (Other 7). Each category has been assigned a unique code number.

difference between Bakelite and Plastic -table

What is the difference between Bakelite and Plastic?

Properties of Bakelite and Plastic:

Bakelite: It is a thermosetting plastic material, does not conduct electricity, therefore, it can be used in insulating materials. Bakelite is resistant to heat and chemical actions and also it is non-flammable. The dielectric constant of Bakelite ranges from 4.4 to 5.4. This is a cheap material and more versatile than other plastics.

Plastic: The word “Plastic” is a Greek word, meaning “capable of being molded and shaped.” The ability to mold and shape easily into desired shapes is the general property of plastics. But, there are so many varieties of plastics with some advanced properties.

Uses of Bakelite and Plastic:

Bakelite: Bakelite is used in radio and telephone casings and electrical insulators due to its non-conductive and heat resistant properties. Various colors are added, to get different shades for the final product. In addition, it is mostly used in saucepan handles, parts of electrical irons, electrical plugs and switches, jewelry, pipe stems, children’s toys and firearms.

Bakelite is available in sheet, rod and tube form for various applications under various commercial brand names.

 Plastic: Various types of plastic materials are available for different applications.

Plastic category Common uses
Polyethylene (PE) Supermarket bags, plastic bottles (Inexpensive)
Polyester (PES) Fibers, textiles
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) Detergent bottles, milk jugs, and molded plastic cases
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Plumbing pipes, shower curtains, window frames, flooring
Polypropylene (PP) Bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt containers
Polystyrene (PS) Packaging and food containers, plastic tableware, disposable cups, plates, cutlery, CD and cassette boxes.
High impact polystyrene (HIPS) Refrigerator liners, food packaging, vending cups.

Chemical Structure of Bakelite and Plastic:

Bakelite: Bakelite is an organic polymer, synthesized using benzene and formaldehyde. The repeating unit in Bakelite polymer is (C6H6O·CH2O)n. Its chemical name is “polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride”. difference between Bakelite and Plastic -bakelite structure

Plastic: All the plastic materials are organic polymers with a repeating unit called monomer. Some of the plastic structures are drawn below.

difference between Bakelite and Plastic -table 2

 
Image Courtesy:
“Bakelite Buttons 2007.068 (66948)” by Chemical Heritage Foundation.(CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons
“Plastic beads2”. (CC BY 2.5) via Wikimedia Commons

Related posts:

Difference Between Polymer and PlasticDifference Between Polymer and Plastic difference between rubber nad plasticDifference Between Rubber and Plastic Difference Between Polymer and BiopolymerDifference Between Polymer and Biopolymer Difference Between Polycarbonate and PlasticDifference Between Polycarbonate and Plastic Difference Between Resin and PlasticDifference Between Resin and Plastic

Filed Under: Chemistry Tagged With: Bakelite, Bakelite and Plastic differences, Bakelite characteristics, Bakelite Chemical Structure, Bakelite properties, Bakelite uses, Bakelite vs Plastic, Compare Bakelite and Plastic, Plastic, Plastic characteristics, Plastic Chemical Structure, Plastic properties, Plastic uses

About the Author: Admin

Coming from Engineering cum Human Resource Development background, has over 10 years experience in content developmet and management.

Comments

  1. Tizzy says

    March 14, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    Is it possible to add recycled plastic to bakelite?

    Reply
    • Sajjad says

      December 15, 2021 at 1:48 am

      No thermosetting plastics cannot be recycled so we are not able to add recycled plastic

      Reply
  2. Mayyanad Natesan Babu says

    October 8, 2021 at 3:47 pm

    Years back, ie. in 1960’s,
    coconut shells in powder
    form were exported from
    Kerala State, of South india,
    to countries like Japan as
    an ingredient for the bake
    lite. It is not known immediately whether the
    trade is still on.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between City and Country

What is the Difference Between Thyme Linalool and Thyme Thymol

What is the Difference Between Thyme Linalool and Thyme Thymol

Difference Between Exclusive and Inclusive

Difference Between Exclusive and Inclusive

Difference Between Interval and Ratio

What is the Difference Between ITS1 and ITS2

What is the Difference Between ITS1 and ITS2

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Spinal Stenosis and Spondylosis
  • What is the Difference Between Lip Flip and Lip Filler
  • What is the Difference Between Bone Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis
  • What is the Difference Between Tension Pneumothorax and Cardiac Tamponade
  • What is the Difference Between Diverticulitis and Crohn’s Disease
  • What is the Difference Between Sharara and Lehenga
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.