Resorcinol is a known material commonly used in resins, dyes, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and other applications. It can be obtained in a variety of grades and forms, such as crystals, flakes, pellets, and the like. Resorcinol, in its various forms, is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, benzene, glycerol and formaldehyde.
Resorcinol can be used to synthesize carbon aerogels or xerogels. Specifically, carbon aerogel can be produced by the polycondensation of resorcinol and formaldehyde in a slightly basic medium, followed by supercritical drying and pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere. Thin electrodes formed from such carbon aerogels may be used in capacitive deionization applications. Similarly, xerogels can be made by simple evaporation of solvent from the pore system of the gel.
Resorcinol-formaldehyde novolak resin solutions form a paste unless stabilized. Several methods involving acidic or alkaline catalysts for stabilization of resorcinol-formaldehyde resins are known. An acid catalyst combined with heating may be used but may render the resin corrosive. Pastes do not flow and cannot be readily used in automatic mixers. Alternatively, high levels of an alkaline catalyst may be used to keep the materials liquid, but these catalysts thicken the resin and can result in undesirable reactions. The presence of high levels of either acidic or alkaline catalysts in the resins is often undesirable as they can contribute to faster, sometimes uncontrollable reactions when the resins are used.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of stabilizing resorcinol novolak resins in an aqueous solution substantially free of an acid or a base catalyst. In some embodiments, such stabilized resorcinol novolak resins are stable over a relatively long period of time.