Phenolic Plastics or micarta plastics are a laminated plastic created by the impregnation of layers of a substrate with a resin then formed utilizing heat and pressure. The resins are generally Phenolic, silicone, melamine or epoxies while the substrate materials range from paper and cotton to glass. The resulting material is extremely versatile and used in a variety of applications. Also referred to as phenolic laminates, the notable properties of laminates include impressive resistance to shock, heat, stress, and corrosive chemicals. Phenolic plastics are able to be machined drilled, punched, sanded, tapped, turned, milled, sheared and cut. The dielectric properties make this an excellent insulator which is used in applications from electrical transformers to circuit boards.
Bearing grade laminates consist of multiple plies of a very heavy weight canvas cloth impregnated with phenolic resin and laminated under heat and pressure to produce a thermo…