Phenolic is the term generally assigned to a resin made of phenol and an aldehyde. It is a plastic molding component. Phenolics are available in many combinations of phenol and formaldehyde. They are named for the material they are is made of i.e. Phenol. They can be used in the making of waterproofing varnish or thermosetting adhesive, the manufacture of wood products or in protective paint. They are also known as thermosetting resins and are attributed with being the first commercialized wholly synthetic polymer or plastic. Phenolics possess high impact strength, excellent wear characteristics, and dimensional stability over a wide temperature range. It is also a term used to describe the entire class of phenols. These are simple hydrocarbon groups, similar to alcohols. Therefore a molecule containing an aromatic ring that bears one or more hydroxyl groups is referred to as 'phenolic.' Flavonoids, isoflavonoids, and lignans etc are some examples of phenolics.
