Phenolic resin: properties and use in the laboratory

Phenolic resin gains its useful properties only after curing: it is then resistant to water, moisture and high temperature, and has low flammability. In the laboratory you meet it in countertops: layers of resin-impregnated paper are hot-pressed into a hard board. Such laboratory countertops serve in chemical, analytical, biological and teaching laboratories.

What is phenolic resin and how is a countertop made from it?#

Phenolic resin (phenol-formaldehyde, PF for short) is a synthetic polymer obtained by reacting phenol with formaldehyde. This is how the authors of a study of paper laminates in the journal Materials (opens in a new tab) describe it. They also name the production of HPL laminates as an important use of phenolic resins.

A paper laminate is sheets of paper impregnated with a thermosetting resin, that is, one that does not soften when heated after curing. According to the PN-EN 438-1:2016-03 standard card (opens in a new tab), HPL laminates are “sheets made of thermosetting resins (commonly called laminates)”.

A phenolic resin countertop in the Renggli range is made of layers of paper impregnated with phenolic resin. The layers are pressed at high pressure and high temperature. Renggli cures the surface of the board on both sides with an electron beam (EBC, Electron Beam Curing).

Phenolic resin properties that matter in the laboratory#

Once cured, phenolic resin withstands water and high temperature well and has low flammability. Phenolic resins are thermosetting polymers with low flammability, write the authors of a paper on the heat resistance of phenolic resin (opens in a new tab). Paper laminates made with this resin are resistant to water, weather and high temperature, according to a study of laminates in the journal Materials (opens in a new tab).

In an HPL board, a core of kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin is cured in a hot press. The finished boards are resistant to moisture, chemicals and fire, according to a publication in ACS Omega on HPL laminates (opens in a new tab).

For a phenolic resin laboratory countertop, the Renggli offer page lists:

• good mechanical resistance, including to impact;
• very good resistance to moisture;
• good chemical resistance to acids and alkalis;
• a smooth, non-porous surface that is easy to keep clean;
• dimensional stability.

Low flammability is a property of the material itself, described in the publications. For stations where you work with an open flame, Renggli proposes monolithic ceramic, which is resistant to fire.

Which laboratories is phenolic resin suited to?#

A phenolic resin countertop works well in chemical, biological, analytical and teaching laboratories. It is also used in research and industrial laboratories, where the countertop works with acids, alkalis and solvents. The countertop material should still be chosen for the reagents and temperatures of the particular station.

Phenolic, epoxy or laminate: how do the countertops differ?#

These three countertops differ in structure. A phenolic resin countertop is pressed layers of paper with resin. An epoxy resin countertop is monolithic (uniform through its whole thickness). A laminate countertop has a chipboard core, with HPL laminate only on the surface.

An epoxy resin countertop has a uniform, smooth surface and high resistance to dyes, solvents and temperature. The offer page recommends a phenolic resin countertop where impact resistance and ease of installation matter.

A laminate countertop on chipboard has rounded edges (postforming) and comes in many colours. It is used in school and analytical laboratories. A phenolic resin countertop is the choice where the surface is in long contact with moisture and chemicals.

How do you clean a phenolic resin countertop?#

Wash a phenolic resin countertop after each work session with a soft cloth and a mild, neutral detergent. This is the advice of the Renggli FAQ in its answer on countertop care, which also recommends checking the condition of the surface once a year.

Thanks to the smooth, non-porous surface, phenolic resin countertops are easy to keep clean, which matters in environments that require high hygiene standards.

Do not wipe up spilled concentrated acid dry. First apply a neutraliser, then rinse the countertop with demineralised water.

What to look at when ordering#

We make phenolic resin countertops to size, with cut-outs for sinks and equipment, with a straight or raised edge. Furniture safety is verified by a standard, not by a manufacturer's declaration. The laboratory tables that carry the countertop are tested to EN 13150, and production repeatability to ISO 9001, as we write on the Our company page. At the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology we made stations with phenolic resin countertops on steel frames.

Before you request a quote for a countertop:

• List the reagents at each station, with their concentrations.
• Mark the positions of sinks, utility connection points and equipment on the floor plan.
• Choose the edge: straight or raised.
• Point out the stations with hydrofluoric acid: for these we propose polypropylene.
• Point out the stations with an open flame: for these we propose monolithic ceramic.
• If the order also includes tables, put their compliance with EN 13150 in the description.

Example wording for the order description:

Laboratory countertop made of phenolic resin cured on both sides with an electron beam (EBC), or equivalent, resistant to moisture, acids and alkalis, with a raised edge and cut-outs according to the drawing. Laboratory tables compliant with EN 13150 or equivalent.