Development of phenol-formaldehyde resin with low formaldehyde emissions that respects LEED certification

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Nadia Paiva (Author) FEUP; João Pereira (Author) FEUP; João Ferra (Author) FEUP; Jorge Martins (Author) FEUP; Luísa Carvalho (Author) FEUP; Fernão Magalhães (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: International Wood Products Journal

Vol. 5 No. 3

Pages: 161-167

ISSN: 2042-6445

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus - 3 Citations

INSPEC

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

CORDIS: Technological sciences

Associated Projects

EO_Formaldehyde - Concepção de sistemas adesivos taylor-made para o fabrico de painéis de madeira de baixa emissão de formaldeído

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-TTJ

DOI: 10.1179/2042645314y.0000000074

Abstract (EN): In the last years, production of particleboards with good overall performance and very low formaldehyde emission has been a challenge to wood based panels (WBP) industry, mainly since the re-classification of formaldehyde by the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) as 'carcinogenic to humans (Group 1)'. Moreover, a new important limitation to the use of formaldehyde-based resins has been recently imposed by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for 'Green Building' construction: 'wood composites must contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins'. In this context, the main purpose of this study is to develop a PF resin for particleboard production that fulfils formaldehyde emission restrictions and LEED criteria, while presenting appropriate reactivity and bond strength. The mechanical performance and formaldehyde emissions of particleboards were optimized, changing both the resin synthesis and board production procedures. The synthesis process of these resins was carried out under an alkaline environment, and with an excess of formaldehyde towards phenol, in order to produce resol-type PF resins. The effect of changing the amount of added sodium hydroxide was studied. The particleboard production parameters were also changed, both in terms of blending conditions (amount of hardener and resin) and hot-pressing conditions (pressing time). A PF resin with very good internal bond strength, low formaldehyde strength and reasonable board pressing times was obtained using the following conditions: sodium hydroxide amount of 9% during the synthesis process, and 10% hardener (based on oven-dry weight of resin) together with gluing factor between 4.5 and 5% on the core layer during particleboard production. The best performing resin obtained demonstrated to be appropriate for use in the so called 'Green Building' construction.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7