Uses and Functions of Dicyandiamide

1. Chemical Raw Material: Dicyandiamide is a raw material for melamine and also an intermediate for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and dyes. Reacting dicyandiamide with acids can produce various guanidine salts; the phenyltriamine obtained from the reaction of dicyandiamide and phenyl cyanide is an intermediate for coatings, laminates, and molding powders [145].

2. Dye Fixative: The dicyandiamide resin obtained by reacting dicyandiamide with formaldehyde can be used as a dye fixative, mainly for dyeing treatments with direct dyes, acid dyes, and sulfur dyes [145].

3. Agricultural Uses: Dicyandiamide compound fertilizers can control the activity of nitrifying bacteria, regulating the conversion rate of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil, reducing nitrogen loss, and improving fertilizer efficiency. Additionally, dicyandiamide can be used as a nitrification inhibitor to regulate the soil nitrogen cycle [145].

4. Pharmaceutical Uses: In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used to produce guanidine nitrate, sulfonamides, etc.; it is also used to produce thiourea, cellulose nitrate stabilizers, rubber vulcanization accelerators, steel surface hardeners, artificial leather fillers, adhesives, etc. Reacting dicyandiamide with formic acid yields the pharmaceutical intermediate 5-azacytosine [145].

5. Other Uses: Dicyandiamide can also be used as a latent curing agent for epoxy resins to formulate one-component epoxy adhesives; in the building materials industry as a concrete early strength agent; in the textile printing and dyeing industry as an anti-migration agent; and in home cleaning as a scale dissolver, etc. [78].

6. In summary, dicyandiamide has extensive applications in multiple fields such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, dyes, building materials, and textiles. It should be noted that dicyandiamide has certain toxicity and health hazards, and appropriate precautions should be taken during operation.