Career
Leo Baekeland was born in Ghent, Belgium, Baekeland was the son of a cobbler and a maid. He told The Literary Digest: "The name is a Dutch word meaning 'Land of Beacons.'" He graduated with honours from the Ghent Municipal Technical School and was awarded a scholarship by the City of Ghent to study chemistry at the University of Ghent, where he acquired a PhD maxima cum laude at the age of 21. He was subsequently appointed associate professor of chemistry in 1889, and married Céline Swarts, the daughter of his head of department.
In 1889 Baekeland honeymooned in New York, where he met Richard Anthony, of the E. and H.T. Anthony photographic company. Baekeland had already invented a process to develop photographic plates using water instead of chemicals, and was interested in moving to America; Anthony saw potential in the young chemist and offered him a job. Baekelandt became a naturalized American in 1897, and a professor by special appointment at Columbia University in 1917
Baekeland worked for the Anthony company for two years, and in 1891 set up in business for himself as a consulting chemist. However, a spell of illness and disappearing funds made him rethink his actions and he decided to return to his old interest of producing a photographic paper that would allow good pictures to be taken in artificial light. After two years of intensive effort he perfected the process to produce the paper, which he named Velox; it was the first commercially successful photographic paper. At the time the US was suffering a recession and there were no investors or buyers for his proposed new product, so Baekeland became partners with Leonardi Jacobi and established the Nepera Chemical Company in Nepera Park, Yonkers, New York.
In 1899 Baekeland was invited to meet George Eastman, who immediately offered him $1,000,000 for his Velox process. Baekeland accepted at once. With a portion of the money he purchased "Snug Rock", a house in Yonkers, New York, and set up his own well-equipped laboratory.
He patented more than 55 inventions, including processes for the separation of copper and cadmium, for the impregnation of wood, etc.
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