bakelite
Bakelite is the trade name of one of the first plastics to come into wide use. It is a phenolic invented in 1907, and it came to be employed for all kinds of household items and ornaments, but its main use today is in electrical installations because it is a good insulator against heat and electric current. Bakelite can be molded into many shapes and is relatively inexpensive. Its use for handles and enclosure elements on kitchen wares, irons, and similar products has been widespread.
Chemist Leo Hendrick ...