Melamine resin

Idealized structure of melamine resin

Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a hard, thermosetting plastic material made from melamine and formaldehyde by polymerization. In its butylated form, it is dissolved in n-butanol and xylene. It is then used to cross-link with alkyd, epoxy, acrylic, and polyester resins, used in surface coatings. There are many types, varying from very slow to very fast curing. It was initially discovered by William F. Talbot.^[1]

Applications

In the kitchen

A melamine-resin plate

A melamine-resin ladle

Melamine resin is often used in kitchen utensils and plates (such as Melmac). Melamine resin utensils and bowls are not microwave safe.^[2] As with all thermosetting materials, melamine resin cannot be melted and, therefore, cannot be recycled through melting.

During the late 1950s and 1960s melamine tableware became highly fashionable. Aided crucially by the stylish modern designs of A. H. Woodfull and the Product Design Unit of British Industrial Plastics, it was thought to threaten the dominant position of ceramics in the market. The tendency of melamine cups and plates to stain and scratch led sales to decline in the late 1960s, however, and eventually the material became largely restricted to the camping and nursery market.^[3]

Construction material

Melamine resin is the main constituent of high-pressure laminates, such as Formica and Arborite, and of laminate flooring. Melamine-resin tile wall panels can also be used as whiteboards.

Melamine & LEED: Phenol formaldehyde (PF) is typically used as the binder / resin in hard-surface countertop materials, such as those used in lab desks. Melamine formaldehyde (MF) is a related compound used in plastic laminate and overlay materials. Formaldehyde is more tightly bound in PF and MF than it is in Urea Formaldehyde, reducing emissions. LEED v2.2's EQ Credit 4.4 precludes the use of Urea-Formaldehyde, but allows the use of Melamine Formaldehyde.

Cabinet and furniture making

Melamine resin is often used to saturate decorative paper that is laminated under heat and pressure and then pasted onto particle board; the resulting panel is often called melamine and commonly used in ready-to-assemble furniture and inexpensive kitchen cabinets.

Melamine is available in different sizes and thicknesses, as well as a large number of colors and patterns. The sheets are heavy; the resin is prone to chipping when being cut with conventional table saws.^[4]

See also

• Melamine foam is a special form of melamine resin. It is used mainly as an insulating and soundproofing material and more recently as a cleaning abrasive.
• Formica is a brand of composite materials manufactured by the Formica Corporation. In common use, the term refers to the company's classic product, a heat-resistant, wipe-clean, plastic laminate of paper or fabric with melamine resin.

References