Role of the excess monomer in the growth of urea and formaldehyde resin deposit particles

• The excess monomer suppresses the deposit output in the UF precipitation reaction.
• The structural characteristics of the UF deposit change with the excess monomer.
• The nucleation in the UF precipitation can be classified by the excess monomer.
• The deposit density and water absorption could be related to the excess monomer.
• The excess monomer enriches at the end positions of the linear polymeric molecules.

The role of excess monomer (i.e., Urea (U) or Formaldehyde (F)) in UF precipitation reaction was investigated at 28 °C. The maximum output of the UF resin deposit was found around the U:F molar ratio 1.0:1.0 and this output decreased if excessive urea (or formaldehyde) was used in the reaction system. The excess monomer was considered to decrease the polymerization degree of UF resin deposit and increased the bonding saturation of its copolymerization monomer as well as the solubility of the UF resin deposit. The Influence of the excess monomer on the lamellar crystallinity of the resultant deposit, involving the polymerization degree and bonding saturation of the monomer, was examined. Three different dynamic regions containing excess monomers were revealed according to the behaviors of the deposit nucleation. The density and water absorption of the UF resin particles were finally demonstrated relative to the dynamic regions in their nucleation reactions.

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