This compound is used mainly in the manufacture of phenolic, ureic, thioureic and melaminic resins.
Such resins are used in particleboard and plywood manufacture, in ceiling and wall insulation; are also used in the manufacture of wrinkle-proof fabrics.
Formaldehyde is also a raw material in the production of Pentaerythritol, Hexamethylenetetramine, 1,4-Butanediol and cellulose esters.
It is an intermediate in drugs and pesticide manufacture.
It is widely used for preventing rotting of beets in the sugar industry.
It is also used to render casein, albumin, and gelatin insoluble, in chemical analysis, as a tissue fixative, as a preservative, disinfectant and antiseptic, in embalming solutions.
It is also used in improving fastness of dyes on fabrics, in tanning and preserving hides, in mordanting and waterproofing fabrics, as a germicide and fungicide for vegetables and other plants, in destroying flies and other insects, in preserving and coagulating rubber latex.