Properties and Uses of Aminoplasts

Amino resins are characterized by being more clear and harder (tensile strength) than phenolics. However, their impact strength (breakability) and heat resistance are lower. Melamine resins have better heat and moisture resistance and better hardness than their urea analogs.

The most important use of amino resins is the production of adhesives for particleboard and hardwood plywood.

Compression and injection molding are used with amino resins to produce articles such as radio cabinets, buttons, and cover plates. Because melamine resins have lower water absorption and better chemical and heat resistance than urea resins, they are used to produce dinnerware and laminates used to cover furniture. Almost all molded objects use fillers such as cellulose, asbestos, glass, wood flour, glass fiber and paper. The 1997 U.S. production of amino resins was 2.6 billion pounds.