Aqueous formaldehyde solutions, known commercially as formaldehyde, are clear, colorless liquids at normal storage temperatures with a very pungent odor. They are soluble in water, lower alcohols, and ether. The largest end uses of formaldehyde are to produce amino resins (urea and melamine) and phenolic resins (resoles and novolacs) for wood bonding applications. Other uses for these resins include adhesives for laminates, molding compounds, textile treatments, coatings resins, foundry resins, and insulation binders. Another large consumer of formaldehyde is the production of acetal resins. Large quantities of formaldehyde are consumed in the manufacture of pentaerythritol. The major market for pentaerythritol is in alkyd resins for coatings. Other uses for pentaerythritol include synthetic lubricants, specialty flame retardants, oil additives, and rosin esters. Tri-methylolpropane manufacture accounts for a significant amount of formaldehyde. The bulk of the demand for trimethylol propane is in the production of urethanes, alkyds and lubricants. Formaldehyde is also used in the manufacture of slow nitrogen release fertilizers, urea forms, hexamine, chelating and textile treating agents, butanediol and neo-pentyl glycol. Celanese Chemicals aqueous Formaldehyde is available in concentrations from 37 to 50 percent by weight. A stabilization process permits prolonged storage at reduced temperatures not possible with unstabilized material. Formaldehyde is one of the most important basic chemicals in current industrial use because of its high order of chemical reactivity and low cost. The carbonyl group for gaseous, monomeric formaldehyde carries two hydrogen atoms and no alkyl group. This structure is largely responsible for its unique properties. Its high reactivity has imposed definite limitations on the temperatures at which formaldehyde may be shipped and stored without deterioration. Most aqueous solutions of formaldehyde must be kept hot to prevent the precipitation of a hard paraformaldehyde polymer. Methyl alcohol is the inhibitor normally used to minimize the formation of this polymer when heating facilities are unavailable or inadequate. Formaldehyde solutions are offered, either uninhibited or suitably inhibited with methyl alcohol to permit lower storage temperatures. The higher the formaldehyde concentration, the more heat is required in storage. Celanese Chemicals formaldehyde solutions require less heating in storage than unstabilized solutions. This is because the Celanese Chemicals process “builds in” a stabilizing factor that is more effective than methyl alcohol in counterbalancing the inherent tendency of formaldehyde to polymerize and dropout of solution.

Information provided by Celanese Corporation.