The urea-formaldehyde resin is a type of thermosetting plastic formed by the reaction of urea and formaldehyde. This polymer is commonly used in adhesives, finishes, and molded products due to its strong bonding properties and high heat resistance.
- Urea-formaldehyde polymer is synthesized by the polymerization of urea $\left(\mathrm{NH}_2 \mathrm{CONH}_2\right)$ with formaldehyde $\left(\mathrm{CH}_2 \mathrm{O}\right)$, and it has the general repeating unit:
$\left[\mathrm{NH}-\mathrm{CO}-\mathrm{NH}-\mathrm{CH}_2\right]_n$ This repeating unit shows the amide linkage (-CO-NH-) that forms between urea and formaldehyde, and the structure indicates a polymer.
