phenol-formaldehyde resin

chemical compound
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: phenolic resin
Also called:
phenolic resin

phenol-formaldehyde resin, any of a number of synthetic resins made by reacting phenol (an aromatic alcohol derived from benzene) with formaldehyde (a reactive gas derived from methane). Phenol-formaldehyde resins were the first completely synthetic polymers to be commercialized. In the first decades of the 20th century, Bakelite, a trademarked phenolic plastic, revolutionized the market for molded and laminated parts for use in electrical equipment. Phenolics are still very important industrial polymers, though their most common use today is in adhesives for the bonding of plywood and other structural wood products. The chemical composition of phenol and formaldehyde and their combination ...(100 of 373 words)