Melamine Formaldehyde

Melamine Formaldehyde Adhesive or Melamine Resin Adhesive

A melamine formaldehyde adhesive (also commonly called a melamine glue or an MF) is a condensation product of unsubstituted melamine and formaldehyde.

Melamine formaldehyde resin have much in common with urea formaldehyde resin; they were, known many years after urea resin and have not attained great importance as adhesives. Melamine Formaldehyde resin is widely used as textile finished and in the manufacture of decorative laminates and plastic molding. Use in wood coating surface like in Furniture and other wood product for house holds.Melamine also use over particle board because the highly stain and mar resistance. Melamine product surface have wide variety of color and wood grain look. This combination melamine and particle board can create a cheap furniture's product.

Melamine Surface Coated

The melamine formaldehyde reaction in its relation to adhesives.

The reaction between melamine and formaldehyde has been studied by Kohler, and by Gams, Widmer and Fisch. The process of resinification are analogous to those of urea formaldehyde, that is related to urea resins therefore applied broadly to melamine resins, the reaction being similarly governed by the five factor; molecular ratio, pH value, temperature, concentration and time.

In the preparation of adhesives, melamine and formaldehyde in a molecular ratio 1 : 2.5 to 1 : 3.5, are reacted at a pH of between 8.0 to 9.0 and a temperature at or near to the boiling point. As with the urea reaction, condensations follows the formation of methylol compounds, and as resinification proceeds the solution become more and more hydrophobic. The reaction is continued until water toleration at room temperature is such that at least an equal volume of water can be added without precipitation occurring.

Stability of Melamine Formaldehyde Resin

Aqueous solution of melamine resin adhesive are much less stable than those of urea resins; they are therefore normally spray-dried soon after manufacture producing a powder glue with a storage life of least a year. The user re-dissolves the powder in water to give solution that remain stable for a few days depending on temperature and resin concentration. Instability result in the solution becoming cloudy and later semi-solid. In its early stages this state can be reversed by heating the resin to 40o to 50 ^oC provided no hardener has been added.

Partial estherification of low molecular weight resins with one of the lower alcohols, in particular methanol, improves stability in the liquid state. These resin, which can be produced with infinite solubility in water, are valuable in textile applications but have not found much use as adhesives. A method of related to melamine and also reacts with formaldehyde as well as methanol formaldehyde resins is inferior to melamine resins it may be expected that a co-condensate would have downgraded properties according to the ratio of dicyamide to melamine.