3 - Amino and Furan Resins

Abstract

The amino and furan resins are grouped together primarily because they are versions of the phenolic resins that complement and supplement phenolic resins. They are also relatively low-volume consumption resins. The light colored aminos were introduced to expand the market share of phenolic-type products. Phenolic resins occur only in dark, opaque colors and can therefore be used only to manufacture dark-colored products. Amino resins are thermosetting plastic materials that are produced by the reaction between amino group (NH2)-bearing compounds (such as aniline, guanamines, urea, melamines, thiourea, ethylene urea, and sulfonamide) and formaldehyde. The two most popular and viable aminos, urea–formaldehyde and melamine–formaldehyde resins, are the aminos that are discussed in this chapter. Furan resins, on the other hand, are produced by the reaction between phenols and furans such as furfural (aldehyde) and furfural derivatives. They are used in place of formaldehyde in the conventional production of phenolic resins. Urea (NH2CONH2) and formaldehyde (CH2O) are the raw materials of urea–formaldehyde resins. Melamine (C3N3(NH2)3) and formaldehyde are the raw materials for melamine–formaldehyde resins. For furan resins, the raw materials are furfural, its derivatives, and phenol.