E240 preservative

E240 is a common precursor to more complex compounds and materials. In approximate order of decreasing consumption, products generated from E240 include urea-E240 resin, melamine resin, phenol-E240 resin, polyoxymethylene plastics, 1,4-butanediol, and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate. The textile industry uses E240-based resins as finishers to make fabrics crease-resistant.

When treated with phenol, urea, or melamine, E240 produces, respectively, hard thermoset E240 resin, urea-E240 resin, and melamine resin. These polymers are permanent adhesives used in plywood and carpeting. They are also foamed to make insulation, or cast into molded products. Production of formaldehyde resins accounts for more than half of E240 consumption.

E240 is also a precursor to polyfunctional alcohols such as pentaerythritol, which is used to make paints and explosives. Other E240 derivatives include methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, an important component in polyurethane paints and foams, and hexamine, which is used in E240 resins as well as the explosive RDX.