Resorcinol is commonly found in resins and notably has varied applications, being used from pharmaceuticals to adhesives and colorants. To show you the benefits of resorcinol, let’s take a look at the properties and uses of resorcinol to give you a better understanding and insight into the creation and uses of a substance that is both capable of irritating your eyes and skin, yet is a key component of medicinal skin-care products.
Resorcinol Properties
Resorcinol is identified as a white crystalline solid that, depending on purity, becomes pink or entirely transparent when exposed to light. Resorcinol carries a density of 1.28g/cm^3, a molecular weight of 110.1 g/mol, and has a melting point of 110 degrees Celsius and a boiling point of 277 degrees Celsius. This phenolic compound is derived in large amounts when resorcinol manufacturers sulfurize benzene with fuming sulfuric acid and fusing caustic soda to the resulting benzenesulfonic acid.
Medical Applications
The most notable use of resorcinol is its application within a wide array of medicinal skin-care products that address skin disorders such as acne, seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and many more. It has also been used to address lesser issues such as warts and calluses. It accomplishes this by reducing the build of dead skin cells, however before you use anything stronger than over-the-counter acne treatments, you should consult with your doctor as allergies may cause resorcinol to only exacerbate skin irritants.
Practical Applications
While most of the properties and uses of resorcinol are focused on skincare, resorcinol has some other practical and cosmetic uses such as in products like hair dye and wood glue. As an adhesive, resorcinol is both strong and, more importantly, very waterproof. This makes it effective for use in boats or humid environments as moisture does not affect resorcinol adhesives in the way it would in most other types of adhesives.
Additionally, resorcinol plays a crucial role in rubber adhesives. It has been found to be very effective at bonding rubber compounds to various reinforcing materials and is most prominently used within the tire industry. The tire industry has used resorcinol in rubber adhesives to bond materials such as rayon, nylon, fiberglass, or steel with natural or synthetic rubber compositions. Other examples of this bonding includes conveyer belts and pneumatic/hydraulic hoses.
