Introducing flexibility in urea–formaldehyde resins: Copolymerization with polyetheramines

Abstract

ABSTRACTAdhesives obtained by copolymerizing urea, formaldehyde, and difunctional polyetheramine with different molecular weights (230, 600, 900, and 2000 g mol−1) are presented as a more resilient alternative to conventional urea–formaldehyde resins. Urea and polyetheramine contents were varied and the resulting resins characterized by FTIR, 13C‐NMR, and TGA. These resins were used for production of agglomerated cork panels, an application that demands that the binder system is flexible. Polyetheramine with molecular weight 900 g mol−1 yielded the most promising agglomerated cork panel, with remarkable flexibility, good tensile strength, and with the E1 formaldehyde content specification for wood‐based panels used in construction, according to European Standard EN 12460‐5. These new thermoset adhesives have demonstrated to be capable of being used in systems where conventional formaldehyde‐based resins do not perform well due to inherent high rigidity. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 1834–1843