from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
melamine \mel"a*mine\ (m[e^]l"[.a]*m[=e]n) n. (Chem.)
A nitrogenous strongly basic chemical substance ({C3H6N6}),
structurally 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine, produced from
several cyanogen compounds, and obtained as a white
crystalline substance; -- formerly supposed to be produced by
the decomposition of melam. Called also {cyanuramide}. It is
used as one of the starting components (together with
formaldehyde) in the preparation of melamine resins,
including the commercially marketed {Formica} (TM). It is
solid at room temperature, and sublimes at temperatures
approaching 250[deg] C, decomposing at 345[deg] C. Density
1.573. --HCP61
[1913 Webster + PJC] melamine resin