Phenolic (phenol-formaldehyde)
The original synthetic plastic (Bakelite); chars instead of burning — aircraft interiors, brake pads, ablatives.
Also called: phenol-formaldehyde, Bakelite, PF resin, phenolic resin
| Property | Value | Source | Method | Conditions | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 1.28 g/cm³ | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D792 | 23 °C, dry | — |
| Young's modulus E | 3.5 GPa | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D638 | 23 °C, dry | 2.8–4.8 typical range |
| Tensile strength | 50 MPa | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | ASTM D638 | 23 °C, dry | brittle |
| Glass transition Tg | 175 °C | Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed. | DMA | 23 °C, dry | highly crosslinked; decomposes rather than melts |
Phenolic (phenol-formaldehyde) was the first fully synthetic plastic — Bakelite — and remains valued for heat and flame resistance. It chars rather than dripping or spreading flame, and gives off little smoke, so it is used where fire performance matters.
It is a brittle thermoset, so it is usually filled or reinforced. Typical uses are electrical insulators, ablative heat shields, brake and clutch linings, and fire-rated panels for aircraft and rail interiors.
See where Phenolic fits in a real product, and what it competes with:
- Callister & Rethwisch, Materials Science and Engineering, 10th ed.
Typical room-temperature values for learning and preliminary design; grades vary. Always confirm against the supplier datasheet before design work. Data policy: docs/DATA-SOURCES.md in the repository.