Phenol-Formaldehyde Resins: Properties, Fields of Application, and Methods of Synthesis

This review considers the current situation in the market of phenol-formaldehyde resins, which serve as a basis for a wide range of binders, whose properties can be varied to obtain different materials for certain technological problems. The properties, types, and application fields of phenol-formaldehyde resins are characterized, and their advantages, disadvantages, and more promising potential analogues are discussed. The relevance and prospects of studies on the development of new processes and the upgrading of existing ones for the production of phenol-formaldehyde resins by both varying the process conditions and selecting the best catalyst are shown.