1.HPL material system
In 1907, Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland was awarded the first patent for a product type with the commercial name “Bakelite”. He had discovered that a mixture of wood dust or fibres with phenol resins can be pressed into metal moulds and simultaneously hardened with heat. In the 1920s, a sheet material in flat shapes was developed which was manufactured by saturating paper with phenolic resin and then hardening it between steel plates.
The melamine required for HPL surfaces goes back to a discovery (1834) by Justus von Liebig. Melamine resin was first used in 1930 by Hermann Römmler for manufacturing Resopal. The development of decorative papers with a high absorption capacity for melamine resins was the fundamental step to HPL during the 1940s. The actual success story of HPL began in the 1950s. The crucial element was the pressing of core paper layers saturated with phenol resin onto decorative papers saturated with melamine resin.
Subsequently, the HPL material system was developed further and therefore opening up a wide range of new applications. Special emphasis should be placed on the development of HPL-Compact into a sheet with decorative surfaces on both sides and a thickness of 2 mm or more. The postforming process allows two-dimensional forming of HPL during bonding to a substrate. Flame-retandant HPL opens up complex applications in the construction sector. It can be manufactured to be electrostatically dissipative, while deep surface textures give HPL special tactile properties. Special overlays provide increased abrasion resistance. Variants of HPL can be produced by using other surface materials, e.g. HPL can be combined with metal surfaces or real wood veneer to provide real metal or real wood surfaces. Highly resistant and antibacterial surfaces can be generated with HPL and open up applications in areas with special requirements. Translucent surfaces are possible, as well as fluorescent effects. Anti-fingerprint and highly scratch-resistant surfaces increase the performance. The possibilities of continuous manufacturing of HPL also increase the economically efficient production, while digital printing opens up new perspectives for customised manufacturing. HPL-Compact can also be used outdoors.
