Unitika Ltd.

Tuneyuki Ohsawa

Yoshiaki Echigo

Keiichi Asami

Mutsunori Yamao

Yoshiyuki Suematu

Kenichi Sugawara

The present invention relates to a process for producing spherical thermosetting phenolic resin particles having a size of no larger than about 1,000 microns, and the spherical thermosetting phenolic resin particles produced by this process. In accordance with the process of the present invention, a novolak resin, and a nitrogenous basic compound, and, optionally, an aldehyde, are reacted while they are suspended in an aqueous medium in the presence of a suspension stabilizer. The thermosetting phenolic resin produced by the process of the present invention not only displays superior thermal curing characteristics during molding; the cured product fabricated by molding this resin also exhibits good physical properties such as improved mechanical strength and heat resistance. Therefore, the spherical thermosetting phenolic resin particles produced by the process of the present invention can be extensively used as molding materials, binders, adhesives, and in many other applications.

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Kyoto, Japan

Tuneyuki Ohsawa