What two specific chemical components formed the revolutionary fully synthetic Bakelite?

Phenol and formaldehyde.

The synthesis of Bakelite by Leo Baekeland in 1907 represented the crucial chemical leap from semi-synthetic to fully synthetic materials. Unlike Parkesine and Celluloid, which relied on modifying natural polymers like cellulose, Bakelite was constructed entirely from non-naturally occurring components synthesized by chemists. Specifically, Baekeland achieved this by combining phenol and formaldehyde in a chemical reaction. This precise molecular construction allowed for the creation of a novel polymer architecture that possessed inherent superior properties, such as exceptional heat resistance, distinguishing it fundamentally from any materials derived from plant matter.