- ▸ Reacted with formaldehyde to manufacture melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins used in decorative laminates, particleboard, and surface-coating crosslinkers.
- ▸ Functions as a crosslinking and curing agent in amino-resin coil and can coatings, where it builds hardness, chemical resistance, and stain resistance.
- ▸ Serves as a nitrogen-rich, halogen-free flame retardant and char former in intumescent coatings, flexible polyurethane foams, and engineering thermoplastics.
- ▸ Used as a feedstock to produce melamine cyanurate and melamine polyphosphate flame-retardant additives for nylon and polyolefin compounds.
- ▸ Acts as a synthesis intermediate for adhesives, tanning agents, superplasticizers (melamine sulfonate) in concrete, and specialty triazine chemistry.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
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Melamine is a nitrogen-rich triazine and a large-volume industrial building block — the basis of melamine-formaldehyde resins, a halogen-free flame-retardant component, and a chemical intermediate. Identity: CAS 108-78-1.
What it is
Melamine (CAS 108-78-1, C3H6N6) is a white crystalline triazine with three amine groups and high nitrogen content. It is produced at large scale and is a workhorse industrial raw material.
Industrial uses
Its dominant use is in melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins for laminates, surface coatings, moulding compounds, adhesives and tableware. As a nitrogen source it is a component of halogen-free intumescent flame-retardant systems (the blowing/nitrogen partner with an acid source and a carbon source), and it is a chemical intermediate for melamine salts and derivatives.
See the intumescent system in the flame retardants guide; the FR partners are APP and pentaerythritol.
Forms, grades and handling
Melamine is supplied as a white crystalline powder in bags and bulk. It is sold for industrial use only. Properties are typical reference values; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot you buy governs. Always consult the current Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before handling, and confirm regulatory status and suitability for your application and jurisdiction. Each lot ships with CoA, TDS and SDS.
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource sources Melamine direct from producers in bulk, with CoA, TDS and SDS per lot. Tell us the grade, particle size or specification and quantity you need, and we will quote it. Products are sold for industrial and professional use.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical / class | Industrial chemical (triazine) |
| CAS Number | 108-78-1 |
| Molecular Formula | C3H6N6 |
| Molecular Weight | 126.12 g/mol |
| Handling | Refer to the current SDS |
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU):
- EC number: 203-615-4
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
Regulatory restriction status
Melamine (CAS 108-78-1) appears on the regulatory list(s) below. This is public regulatory information about the substance — not a statement about any specific supplier’s material, and not a safety claim. Confirm the current status for your jurisdiction and intended use.
- REACH SVHC Candidate List (EU): listed 17 Jan 2023 on the basis of properties of equivalent concern (Art. 57(f)). SVHC status triggers EU supplier-communication and notification duties above 0.1% w/w; it is not, by itself, a ban on sale.
Sources: ECHA Candidate List / Annex XIV / Annex XVII (echa.europa.eu); U.S. EPA TSCA; UN Stockholm Convention / EU POPs Regulation; California OEHHA Proposition 65 list. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is melamine used for?
Melamine (CAS 108-78-1) is used mainly to make melamine-formaldehyde resins for laminates, coatings, moulding compounds and adhesives; as a nitrogen source in halogen-free intumescent flame retardants; and as a chemical intermediate. RawSource supplies it for industrial use.
Is melamine a flame retardant?
Melamine is the nitrogen/blowing component of halogen-free intumescent flame-retardant systems, used with an acid source such as ammonium polyphosphate and a carbon source such as pentaerythritol.
How is bulk melamine supplied and quoted?
RawSource supplies melamine in bulk with CoA, TDS and SDS per lot. Pricing is quote-based on grade, particle size/specification and volume; submit an RFQ with your application and quantity.
What is the REACH and TSCA regulatory status of Melamine?
Melamine (CAS 108-78-1) is subject to U.S. TSCA Inventory requirements; supplying it into the EU requires valid REACH registration ((EC) No 1907/2006). RawSource cannot verify a third-party supplier's registrations — buyers should require documented TSCA and REACH compliance for their jurisdiction and volume (EC 203-615-4).