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# 2007 Greener Synthetic Pathways Award

Professor Kaichang Li, Or egon State University Columbia Forest Products Hercules Incorporated

Development and Commercial Application of En vironmentally Friendly Adhesives for Wood Composites

Since the 1940s, the wood composites industry has been using synthetic adhesive resins to bind wood pieces into composites, such as plywood, particleboard, and fiberboard. The industry has been the predomin ate user of formaldehyde-based adhesives such as phenol– formaldehyde and urea–formaldehyde (UF) re sins. Formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. The manufacture and use of wood composite panels bonded with formaldehydebased resins release formaldehyde into the air, creating hazards for both workers and

consumers.

Inspired by the superior properties of the pr otein that mussels use to adhere to rocks, Professor Li and his group at Oregon State University invented environmentally friendly wood adhesives based on abundant, renewable soy flou r. Professor Li modified some of the amino acids in soy protein to resemble those of musse ls’ adhesive protein. Hercules Incorporated provided a critical curing agen t and the expertise to apply itto commercial production of plywood. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge

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Innovation and Benefits: Adhesives used in manufacturing plywood and other wood composites often contain formaldehyde, which is toxic. Professor Kaichang Li of Oregon State University, Columbia Forest Products, and He rcules Incorporated developed an alternate adhesive made from soy flour. Their environmentally friendly adhesive is stronger than and cost-competitive with conventional adhesives. During 2006, Columbia used the new, soy-based adhesive to replace more than 47 million pounds of conventional formaldehyde-based adhesives.



## Green Chemistry htt p : // www.e p a. g ov /g cc /p ubs /pg cc / winners /g s p a07.html Last u p dated on Monda y, June 20

, 2011 

### Page 1 of 2 2007 Greener Synthetic Pa thways Award | Green Chemistry | US EPA

8/9/2011 htt p ://www.e p a. g ov/ g cc/ p ubs/ pg cc/winners/ g s p a07.htmlOregon State University, Columbia Forest Products (CFP), and Hercules have jointly commercialized soy-based adhesives to produce cost-competitive plywood and particleboard for interior uses. The soy-based adhesives do not contain formaldehyde or use formaldehyde as a raw material. They are environmentally frie ndly, cost-competitive with the UF resin in plywood, and superior to the UF resin in st rength and water resistance. All CFP plywood plants now use soy-based adhesives, replacing more than 47 million pounds of the toxic UF resin in 2006 and reducing the emission of ha zardous air pollutants (HAPs) from each CFP plant by 50 to 90 percent. This new CFP plywood is sold under the PureBondTM name. During 2007, CFP will replace UF at its particleboard plant; the company is also seeking arrangements with other manufacturers to fu rther the adoption of this technology.

With this technology, those who make and use furniture, kitchen cabinetry, and other wood composite materials have a high-performing fo rmaldehyde-free alternative. As a result, indoor air quality in homes and offices could impr ove significantly. This technology represents the first cost-competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive that can replace the toxic UF resin. The technology can gr eatly enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. wood composite companies. In addition, by creating a new market for soy flou r, currently in oversupply, this technology provides econ omic benefits for soybean farmers.

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8/9/2011 htt p ://www.e p a. g ov/ g cc/ p ubs/ pg cc/winners/ g s p a07.html