Formaldehyde refers to a gaseous chemical substance that is colorless and poisonous in nature. Formaldehyde has the chemical formula CH2O and is formed via the oxidation of methanol. It is widely used as a disinfectant and general-purpose chemical reagent, and may cause corrosion in several metals.
Formaldehyde is used mainly as a chemical intermediate. It has minor uses in the agricultural industry as an analytical reagent. It is also used as a concrete and plaster additive and as a disinfectant surface cleaner. One of the most common industrial uses of formaldehyde is manufacturing urea-formaldehyde resins that are used in particleboard products.
Some chemical and physical properties of formaldehyde:
- Molecular weight: 30.03 g/mol
- Vapor pressure: 10 mm Hg at -88°C (-126°F)
- Log octanol/water partition coefficient (log K ): -0.65
- Pungent, suffocating odor at room temperature; odor threshold: 0.83 ppm
- Readily soluble in water at room temperature