Adhesive Composition for the Production of Engineered Wood and Method for Making and Using the Same

Description:

SUMMARY

Features

Sustainable adhesive
Recycled food industry waste
Construction grade

Applications

Toys for kids
Green pellets for burning
Construction materials

The Silk Lab at Tufts University has created a green alternative for creating a construction-grade particle-board using food waste. Traditional particle-boards use petrochemical glues and binders while green alternatives tested previously were unable to meet mechanical requirements for construction standards. Using dairy waste in a patent pending process, Drs. Presti and Omenetto have created a novel liquid adhesive that maintains the internal bonding requirement for indoor use.

BACKGROUND

Existing technologies to make particle boards from wood waste has seen little improvement since its conception. The filler materials are often glued together with a phenolic resin that uses toxic and emission intensive adhesives like phenol-formaldehyde. Greener alternatives to particle-board manufacturing have not been sucessful as they lack the mechanical performance set by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI). Hence, this $27B market has no viable sustainable alternative.

solution

The Silk Lab has created medium-density particle-boards where the adhesive and the finished board meet relevant contruction standards. By changing the concentration of lignin in the glue, they are matching the minimum modules for rupture and elasiticity required for internal use. Additionally, the boards have significantly lower swelling values when soaked in water for 2 and 24 hours compared to phenol- or urea-formaldehyde resins showing promising water resistance. Work to create and characterize low- and high-density particle-boards is also underway.

Competitive Advantage

The main competitive advantage of this technology is the upcycling of food industry waste to create a green adhesive. Using filler materials from various plant-derived and synthetic sources like remnants of silk, wool, rayon, polyesters, woodchips, sawdust etc. these particle-boards have the potential to generate new products entirely from waste materials contributing to circular economy goals. Use of low impact, sustainable waste materials may also qualify users for carbon credits as this technology can mitigate emissions in multiple input streams.

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

Potential uses of these boards include non-toxic toys for kids, green pellets for heating and sustainable construction materials.

IP STATUS

U.S. Provisional Patent Application filed January 2023, PCT Patent Application filed July 10, 2023