Phenol–formaldehyde (PF) resin continues to dominate the resin industry more than 100 years after its first synthesis. Its versatile properties such as thermal stability, chemical resistance, fire resistance, and dimensional stability make it a suitable material for a wide range of applications. PF resins have been used in the wood industry as adhesives, in paints and coatings, and in the aerospace, construction, and building industries as composites and foams. Currently, petroleum is the key source of raw materials used in manufacturing PF resin. However, increasing environmental pollution and fossil fuel depletion have driven industries to seek sustainable alternatives to petroleum based raw materials. Over the past decade, researchers have replaced phenol and formaldehyde with sustainable materials such as lignin, tannin, cardanol, hydroxymethylfurfural, and glyoxal to produce bio-based PF resin. Several synthesis modifications are currently under investigation towards improving the properties of bio-based phenolic resin. This review discusses recent developments in the synthesis of PF resins, particularly those created from sustainable raw material substitutes, and modifications applied to the synthetic route in order to improve the mechanical properties.

Extraction of phenol from aqueous phase to ionic liquid phase.

The Calotropis procera leaves extract (CPLE) was investigated as a corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in a CO₂-saturated 3.5 wt% NaCl solution using various electrochemical techniques. The results show that the CPLE is an effective inhibitor with inhibition efficiency of 80% using 50 ppm. Polarization studies show that the CPLE acts as a mixed inhibitor, and the adsorption of CPLE follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the presence of N, O in the CPLE as well as π-electron systems coupled with high adsorption energies of interaction of the CPLE with steel are responsible for corrosion inhibition performance.

The thermal conductivities of selected deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were determined using the modified transient plane source (MTPS) method over the temperature range from 295 K to 363 K at atmospheric pressure. The results were found to range from 0.198 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ to 0.250 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹. Various empirical and thermodynamic correlations present in literature, including the group contribution method and mixing correlations, were used to model the thermal conductivities of these DES at different temperatures. The predictions of these correlations were compared and consolidated with the reported experimental values. In addition, the thermal conductivities of DES mixtures with water over a wide range of compositions at 298 K and atmospheric pressure were measured. The standard uncertainty in thermal conductivity was estimated to be less than ± 0.001 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ and ± 0.05 K in temperature. The results indicated that DES have significant potential for use as heat transfer fluids.

Alizarin red S (ARS) removal from wastewater using sheep wool as adsorbent was investigated. The influence of contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, initial ARS concentration and temperature was studied. Optimum values were: pH = 2.0, contact time = 90 min, adsorbent dosage = 8.0 g/L. Removal of ARS under these conditions was 93.2%. Adsorption data at 25.0 °C and 90 min contact time were fitted to the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms. R2 values were 0.9943 and 0.9662, respectively. Raising the temperature to 50.0 °C had no effect on ARS removal. Free wool and wool loaded with ARS were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). ARS loaded wool was used as adsorbent for removal of Cr(VI) from industrial wastewater. ARS adsorbed on wool underwent oxidation, accompanied by a simultaneous reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). The results hold promise for wool as adsorbent of organic pollutants from wastewater, in addition to substantial self-regeneration through reduction of toxic Cr(VI) to Cr(III). Sequential batch reactor studies involving three cycles showed no significant decline in removal efficiencies of both chromium and ARS.