Bio-based adhesives and reproducible rapid small-scale bond strength testing
| Authors: | Charles R. Frihart, Brice N. Dally, James M. Wescott, Michael J. Birkeland |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Type: | Miscellaneous Publication |
| Station: | Forest Products Laboratory |
| Source: | Advanced biomass science and technology for bio-based products. [S.l.] : Chinese Academy of Forestry, c2009. Pages 364-370. (Symposium held 2007 May 23-25, Beijing, China) |
Abstract
Soy flour is an inexpensive raw material for adhesives and is readily available in most parts of the world. However, converting soy flour into a wood adhesive that can compete in both cost and performance with existing petroleum-based adhesives is not easy given the variables of flour quality, denaturation conditions, and curing methods. Formulating adhesives that alter these variables is more readily accomplished than is testing the performance of these formulations using standard evaluation methods. To overcome this problem, we developed a rapid and reproducible small-scale bond strength testing procedure that allows us to screen new adhesives more efficiently. This procedure, employing the automated bond evaluation system (ABES) instrument, has led to improved soy adhesive formulations for plywood and other wood-bonding applications. Additionally, this procedure has been compared with standard product performance tests for decorative and exterior plywood using the common commercially available adhesives poly(vinyl acetate), urea-formaldehyde, melamine-urea-formaldehyde, and phenol-formaldehyde.