In 1907, the American chemist, Dr. Leo Baekeland made a breakthrough when he accidentally created the first commercially successful thermosetting synthetic resin, which was called Bakelite (known today as phenolic resin). He realized that a resin which would not melt under high temperatures would have a much wider appeal when used as a molding compound. Use of Bakelite quickly grew. It has been used to make products such as jewelry, telephones, and pot handles.

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