Resin urea formaldehyde

Urea is largely used as a fertilizer (ISy ), and as a non-protein feed supplement for sheep and cattle. The most important chemical use, which however accounts for only a small part of urea production, is in the manufacture of urea-formaldehyde resins. U is also used in the manufacture of adhesives, pharmaceuticals, dyes and various other materials. U.S. production 1981 7 0 megatonnes urea resins 1983 6 megatonnes. 

The reaction of urea with formaldehyde yields the following products, which are used as monomers in the preparation of urea formaldehyde resin. 

The reaction conditions can be varied so that only one of those monomers is formed. 1-Hydroxy-methylurea and l,3-bis(hydroxymethyl)urea condense in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce urea formaldehyde resins. A wide variety of resins can be obtained by careful selection of the pH, reaction temperature, reactant ratio, amino monomer, and degree of polymerization. If the reaction is carried far enough, an infusible polymer network is produced. 

Some commercially important cross-linked polymers go virtually without names. These are heavily and randomly cross-linked polymers which are insoluble and infusible and therefore widely used in the manufacture of such molded items as automobile and household appliance parts. These materials are called resins and, at best, are named by specifying the monomers which go into their production. Often even this information is sketchy. Examples of this situation are provided by phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins, for which typical structures are given by structures [IV] and [V], respectively ... 

Urea is also used as feed supplement for mminants, where it assists in the utilization of protein. Urea is one of the raw materials for urea—formaldehyde resins. Urea (with ammonia) pyrolyzes at high temperature and pressure to form melamine plastics (see also Cyanamides). Urea is used in the preparation of lysine, an amino acid widely used in poultry feed (see Amino acids Feeds and feed additives, petfoods). It also is used in some pesticides. 

The consumption of urea for urea—formaldehyde resins has decreased in recent years because of the new findings about the toxicity of formaldehyde slowly released by the resin. 

During the late 1970s, concerns were raised about levels of airborne formaldehyde in buildings resulting primarily from constmction using composite panels bonded with urea—formaldehyde resins and combined with energy-efficient building practices which reduced air losses. 

Urea.—Forma.IdehydeResins. Cellular urea—formaldehyde resins can be prepared in the following manner an aqueous solution containing surfactant and catalyst is made into a low density, fine-celled foam by dispersing air into it mechanically. A second aqueous solution consisting of partially cured urea—formaldehyde resin is then mixed into the foam by mechanical agitation. The catalyst in the initial foam causes the dispersed resin to cure in the cellular state. The resultant hardened foam is dried at elevated temperatures. Densities as low as 8 kg/m can be obtained by this method (117). 

Syntactic Cellular Polymers. Syntactic cellular polymer is produced by dispersing rigid, foamed, microscopic particles in a fluid polymer and then stabilizing the system. The particles are generally spheres or microhalloons of phenoHc resin, urea—formaldehyde resin, glass, or siUca, ranging 30—120 lm dia. Commercial microhalloons have densities of approximately 144 kg/m (9 lbs/fT). The fluid polymers used are the usual coating resins, eg, epoxy resin, polyesters, and urea—formaldehyde resin. 

Foams prepared from phenol—formaldehyde and urea—formaldehyde resins are the only commercial foams that are significantly affected by water (22). Polyurethane foams exhibit a deterioration of properties when subjected to a combination of light, moisture, and heat aging polyester-based foam shows much less hydrolytic stabUity than polyether-based foam (50,199). 

Mono- and dimethylol derivatives are made by reaction of formaldehyde with unsubstituted amides. Dimethylolurea, an item of commercial importance and an intermediate in urea—formaldehyde resins, is formed in high yield under controlled conditions (62) ... 

Melamine resins are included in urea—formaldehyde resins. 

Amino and Phenolic Resins. The largest use of formaldehyde is in the manufacture of urea—formaldehyde, phenol—formaldehyde, and melamine—formaldehyde resins, accounting for over one-half (51%) of the total demand (115). These resins find use as adhesives for binding wood products that comprise particle board, fiber board, and plywood. Plywood is the largest market for phenol—formaldehyde resins particle board is the largest for urea—formaldehyde resins. Under certain conditions, urea—formaldehyde resins may release formaldehyde that has been alleged to create health or environmental problems (see Amino RESINS AND PLASTICS). 

Urea—formaldehyde resins are also used as mol ding compounds and as wet strength additives for paper products. Melamine—formaldehyde resins find use in decorative laminates, thermoset surface coatings, and mol ding compounds such as dinnerware. 

Formaldehyde. Worldwide, the largest amount of formaldehyde (qv) is consumed in the production of urea—formaldehyde resins, the primary end use of which is found in building products such as plywood and particle board (see Amino resins and plastics). The demand for these resins, and consequently methanol, is greatly influenced by housing demand. In the United States, the greatest market share for formaldehyde is again in the constmction industry. However, a fast-growing market for formaldehyde can be found in the production of acetylenic chemicals, which is driven by the demand for 1,4-butanediol and its subsequent downstream product, spandex fibers (see Fibers, elastomeric). 

In recent years, synthetic polymeric pigments have been promoted as fillers for paper. Pigments that ate based on polystyrene [9003-53-6] latexes and on highly cross-linked urea—formaldehyde resins have been evaluated for this appHcation. These synthetic pigments are less dense than mineral fillers and could be used to produce lightweight grades of paper, but their use has been limited in the United States. 

Formaldehyde Scavenging. The formation of oxazoHdines from alkanolamines and formaldehyde is rapid at room temperature and provides a method for the elimination of excess formaldehyde from products such as urea—formaldehyde resins. AEPD and TRIS AMINO are the products of choice for this purpose because one mole of each will react with two moles of formaldehyde (22). 

In the eady 1920s, experimentation with urea—formaldehyde resins [9011-05-6] in Germany (4) and Austria (5,6) led to the discovery that these resins might be cast into beautiful clear transparent sheets, and it was proposed that this new synthetic material might serve as an organic glass (5,6). In fact, an experimental product called PoUopas was introduced, but lack of sufficient water resistance prevented commercialization. Melamine—formaldehyde resin [9003-08-1] does have better water resistance but the market for synthetic glass was taken over by new thermoplastic materials such as polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) (see Methacrylic polya rs Styrene plastics). 

Continuous production of urea—formaldehyde resins has been described in many patents. In a typical example, urea and formaldehyde are combined and the solution pumped through a multistage unit. Temperature and pH are controlled at each stage to achieve the appropriate degree of polymerization. The product is then concentrated in a continuous evaporator to about 60—65% soflds (31). 

The first amino resins used commercially on textiles were the so-called urea—formaldehyde resins, dimethyloliirea [140-95-4] or its mixtures with monomethylolurea [1000-82-4],... 

Uron Resins. In the textile industry, the term uron resin usually refers to the mixture of a minor amount of melamine resin and so-called uron, which in turn is predorninantly N,]S -bis(methoxymethyl)uron [7388-44-5] plus 15—25% methylated urea—formaldehyde resins, a by-product. 

Miscellaneous Resins. Much less important than the melamine—formaldehyde and urea—formaldehyde resins are the methylo1 carbamates. They are urea derivatives since they are made from urea and an alcohol (R can vary from methyl to a monoalkyl ether of ethylene glycol). 

Other amino resins besides MF resins are used to a lesser degree in coatings. Urea—formaldehyde resins are used in some coatings for wood furniture because these resins cross-link at lower temperatures than MF resins and the higher water resistance and exterior durabiUty that can be obtained using MF resins are not needed. Ethers of formaldehyde derivatives of 6-phenyl-l,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine [91-76-9] (benzoguanamine resins) give... 

Many alternatives to nitrocellulose lacquers for top coats have been investigated and some are used commercially. Especially for lower cost furniture exposed to hard use such as motel and institutional furniture, alkyd—urea top coats are used. Urea—formaldehyde resins, in contrast to... 

By the mid-1990s world production of aminoplastics was estimated at about 6 000 000 t.p.a. of which more than 5 000 000 t.p.a. were urea-formaldehyde resins. The bulk of the rest were melamine-formaldehyde. Such bald statistics, however, disguise the fact that a considerable amount of aminoplastics used are actually co-condensates of urea, melamine and formaldehyde. 

Urea-formaldehyde resins are usually prepared by a two-stage reaction. The first stage involves the reaction of urea and formaldehyde under neutral or mildly alkaline conditions, leading to the production of mono and dimethylol ureas (Figure 24.1). The ratio of mono to dimethylol compounds will depend on the urea-to-formaldehyde ratio and it is important that there should be enough formaldehyde to allow some dimethylol urea formation. 

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