Aminoplasts

Aminoplasts are thermosetting materials obtained by polycondensation with elimination of water of molecules containing several –NH ₂ functions, generally urea or melamine, with formaldehyde and leading to a three-dimensional network.

Aminoplasts (mainly urea-formaldehyde: UF and melamine-formaldehyde: MF) are used by a wide range of industries, either as polycondensates (often in solution in water), or as molding compounds. Their consumption represents almost 60% of that of thermosets, but only 5% of that of all plastics. Molding applications have declined significantly in Europe and North America, and are now concentrated mainly in the Far East.