| Author |
Message |
ken hercenberg
Senior Member
Username: khercenberg
Post Number: 1437
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 - 02:58 pm: |    |
It appears that Parklex and Prodema have merged - https://parklexprodema.com/usa/ and in an apparent effort to differentiate themselves from everyone else they are using the brand name bakelite instead of phenolic to describe their material.
Am I missing something? It is still the same thing, right?
As an aside, I recall discussions about 10 years ago regarding concerns with certain phenolic panels at exterior conditions, including Prodema. I believe there were issues with wood grain bleaching and water absorption at edges. Does anyone have any new information about this? Any feedback good or bad?
Thanks! |
James Sandoz, AIA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: jsandoz
Post Number: 342
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 09:38 am: | |
Ken, FWIW read the Wikipedia entry for Bakelite. Apparently the stuff was patented in 1909 and declared a National Historic Chemical Landmark in 1993. I suppose any copyrights to the name have expired or Parklex Prodema should be warming up their attorneys.
Older folks like me have known for a long time what Bakelite is. It's the stuff the bowls of our uncles' smelly old tobacco pipes are made of. |
J. Peter Jordan
Senior Member
Username: jpjordan
Post Number: 1172
Registered: 05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 10:04 am: | |
I believe the old black telephones (pre-1960) were made of Bakelite. Most of the plastic stuff made before 1950 was Bakelite.
It is interesting that this manufacturer chose a "legacy" name for its product.
J. Peter Jordan, FCSI, AIA, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
|
Rosa Cheney
Senior Member
Username: rdcaia
Post Number: 25
Registered: 07-2018
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 - 10:09 am: | |
I would guess that "Bakelite" sounds better to the average consumer than "phenolic formaldehyde resin plastic". ...formaldehyde having such nasty connotations.
:-) |
James Sandoz, AIA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: jsandoz
Post Number: 343
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2022 - 09:37 am: | |
And the chemical name, polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, is certainly a mouthful. |
Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP, EDAC
Senior Member
Username: redseca2
Post Number: 703
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2022 - 03:08 pm: | |
Movie Trivia related to Bakelite: After seeing this thread yesterday I added the film "Savage Grace" to my Amazon Prime queue. |
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