Melamine price

Melamine-formaldehyde materials cost 30-50% more than urea-formaldehyde ones. Today the world output of melamine-formaldehyde materials is about 25% of the total output of aminoplasts with a tendency to increase further because of the lowering of melamine prices. 

Prices are also affected by available production capacity, recent plant outages etc. Surplus production capacity has been available in the recent past for several additives and for intermediates such as phthalic anhydride and epichlorohydrin. At the end of 2002, the two main US producers of sebacic acid, which is a precursor of specialised aliphatic plasticisers, both withdrew from the market in the face of competition from cheap Chinese imports, although another company entered the field instead. Melamine prices have reached 1300 euros/tonne in Europe, although they are lower in Asia. Capacity has fluctuated because of plant problems but considerable new capacity is being developed. 

In 1989 quantity costs, which reflect the lowest cost, of urea molding compounds, were approximately 1.41 /kg ( 0.035/in. for black and brown colors, 1.58/kg ( 0.039/in.for white and ivory special colors are somewhat higher in price. The approximate cost of cellulose-filled melamine molding compound is 1.74/kg ( 0.043/in. ). Glass fiber-filled melamine sells for 7.70/kg ( 0.22/in. ). 

Phenolics are consumed at roughly half the volume of PVC, and all other plastics are consumed in low volume quantities, mosdy in single apphcation niches, unlike workhorse resins such as PVC, phenoHc, urea—melamine, and polyurethane. More expensive engineering resins have a very limited role in the building materials sector except where specific value-added properties for a premium are justified. Except for the potential role of recycled engineering plastics in certain appHcations, the competitive nature of this market and the emphasis placed on end use economics indicates that commodity plastics will continue to dominate in consumption. The apphcation content of each resin type is noted in Table 2. Comparative prices can be seen in Table 5. The most dynamic growth among important sector resins has been seen with phenoHc, acryUc, polyurethane, LLDPE/LDPE, PVC, and polystyrene. 

Cheaper raw materials are another way to reduce production costs. This includes, e.g., the minimization of the melamine content in a MUF-resin. An impeding factor can be the (often temporary) shortage of raw materials for the adhesives, as it was the case with sudden price increases for methanol (from which formaldehyde is obtained industrially) and melamine within the last decade. 

During the 1980 s the melamine list price in the United States was very steady at 0.50 to 0.52/lb. In 1989 and 1990 the price rose to 0.58 to 0.62/lb, but then it declined to the low 0.40 s by 1994. From 1995 to 1999 the price began to rise again and reached 0.70/lb. Import prices showed similar trends during the 1980 s and reached a value of 0.58/lb in 1990. Since that time import prices trended downward to less than 0.40/lb by 1995 and only recovered to about 0.50/lb by 1998114. 

SCHEME 2.4 Melamine-isocyanate interaction above 250°C.51 (From Price, D. et al., Fire Mater., 26, 201, 2002.)... 

Kay M, Price AF, Lavery I. Review of intumescent materials, with emphasis on melamine formulations. J. Fire Retard. Chem. 1979 6 69-91. 

Price, D. Liu, Y. Milnes, GJ. et al. An investigation into the mechanism of flame retardancy and smoke suppression by melamine in flexible polyurethane foam. Fire Mater. 2002, 26, 201-206. 

Formaldehyde condensation products from urea and/or melamine are shown in Fig. 13.2. They are comparable to the corresponding products for permanent press and easy-care finishes (Chapter 5). They have the same advantages and disadvantages and they often improve the perspiration more than the washing fastness. Therefore they are mostly used for lining fabrics, where their price advantage is especially important. 

Melamine laminates distinguish themselves from other surface materials such as coatings and thermoplastic foils by the unique combination of surface hardness, colorability, designs, low price, and resistance against various chemicals. Melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins are essential parts of these laminates. 

The only other triazine resins of commercial importance are based on benzoguanamine, 2-phenyl-4,6-diaraino-l,3,5-s-triazine. Its use is small relative to that of urea and melamine, representing only a few million pounds per year. Benzoguanamines are used in surface coatings because they provide better adhesion than melamine however, their poor resistance to ultraviolet light compared to that of melamine has always limited their use. In recent years the sharply increased price of benzoguanamine relative to that of melamine has further reduced its importance as an item of commerce. 

Foamed phenolic polymer appears to be an excellent insulator, stable and cheap. There is much competition for similar outlets between thermosets and thermoplastics—urea and melamine, ABS, acetal, PP and Nylon. The phenolics have the advantage of low price, and a good combination of general performance when appropriately composed. On the other hand, use of thermoplastics is frequently preferable due to improved processing in mass production, in addition to the recyclability of wastes. 

The principal thermosetting moulding materials are the phenol-formaldeltyde (PF), urea-formaldeltyde (UF), melamine-formalehyde (MF), potyester, and epojty resins (8.NJ, 6.N.1, 6.N.2). The prices of the cheapest resins are just below those of the polypropylenes, whilst some of the epoxy resins used in aerospace applications are over ten times as... 

Melamine-formaldehyde They are rarely used alone because of iheir high price. However, combining with urea-formaldehyde, either by mixing the two resins or preferably by producing as a co-condensate, gives a very substantial improvement in the durability of urea adhesives (see step polymerization). A melamine content of at least 40% is needed to satisfy a standard method of accelerated ageing for moisture-resistant grades of particle board and MDF. " ... 

In general, the melamine resins have somewhat better properties (hardness, heat resistance, and moisture resistance) than the ureas but are higher in price. A distinct advantage of the amino resins over the phenolics is the fact that they are clear and colorless, so that objects of light or pastel color can be produced. The tensile strength and hardness of the amino resins are better than those of the phenolics, but their impact strength and heat and moisture resistance are lower. The melamine resins have better hardness, heat resistance, and moisture resistance than the ureas. 

Urea-formaldehyde (UF) and melamine-formaldehydes are known as the aminoplasts. Interest lies in UF, since it is based on intermediates not derived from oil, and therefore price escalation is less of a problem than for most other plastics. 

Melamine-formaldehyde (MF) mouldings compare favourably with their UF counterparts in all properties. The plastic has better heat resistance, lower water absorption, better stain resistance and higher hardness and abrasion resistance, but its price is higher. 

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