# Leo H Baekeland — Patents explained on PatentBrief

Leo H Baekeland has 1 landmark patent explained in plain English on PatentBrief.

- [How Leo Baekeland Invented Bakelite, the First Synthetic Plastic](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/942699/bakelite-synthetic-plastic) — granted 1909
  A 1909 patent for creating a durable, heat-resistant material by reacting phenol and formaldehyde, marking the birth of the modern plastics industry.

**Full profile:** https://patentbrief.org/inventor/leo-h-baekeland

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Plain-English explanations of US patents._