Due to its carcinogenic properties, the presence of formaldehyde in resins and other industrial products has been a subject of great concern in recent years. The presented review focuses on modern alternatives for the production of wood-based panels; i.e., substitutes for formaldehyde in the production of amino and phenolic resins, as well as novel hardeners for formaldehyde-free wood adhesives. Solutions in which formaldehyde in completely replaced are presented in this review. Recent advances indicate that it is possible to develop new formaldehyde-free systems of resins with compatible hardeners. The formaldehyde substitutes that have primarily been tested are glyoxal, glutaraldehyde, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and dimethoxyethanal. The use of such substitutes eliminates the problem of free formaldehyde emission originating from the resin used in the production of wood-based panels. However, these alternatives are mostly characterized by worse reactivity, and, as a result, the use of formaldehyde-free resins may affect the mechanical and strength properties of wood-based panels. Nonetheless, there are still many substantial challenges for the complete replacement of formaldehyde and further research is needed, especially in the field of transferring the technology to industrial practice.

Lubricants that are based on renewable raw materials have drawn increased attention in various applications, especially those related to the food industry. Due to the high requirements of environmental protection, there is a need to develop biodegradable base oils that are environmentally friendly and do not contain harmful components. The objective of the research was to obtain a base oil with a certain viscosity and certain desired lubricating properties. Base oils were obtained from Crambe abyssinica oil by means of blending with synthetic oil and oxidation. The oxidation processes were carried out in the presence of N-hydroxyphthalimide with or without CO₂ as a solvent. As a final result of this study, oil bases meeting the viscosity requirements and showing suitable lubricating properties were obtained. The Raman spectra of the obtained oils were evaluated.

Petroleum, synthetic, and natural waxes have been used as hydrophobic bases for dispersions intended for use as barrier coatings for packaging paper. Oil-in-water dispersions with alkaline pH were prepared by a two-step homogenization procedure containing paraffin wax, with various characteristics, the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis product or beeswax. The size of the dispersed particles determined by dynamic light scattering depended on the type of hydrophobic base used and was in the range of 350–440 nm. The ability of dispersion particles in aggregation driven by electrostatic attraction, evaluated by Zeta potential analysis by electrophoretic light scattering, was from −26 to −50 mV. Static multiply light scattering was used for 30 days of stability assessment and helped to select the dispersion with a Sarawax SX70 wax base as the most stable. Dispersions were further used for coating the backing of kraft paper by the Meyer rod method. Coated paper with an applied coating of 6 g/m² had very good hydrophobic properties (Cobb60 < 4 g/m²), sufficient strength properties, and air permeation, which enabled its application as a packaging material. The dispersions based on Sarawax SX70 wax were evaluated as the best coating for Mondi ProVantage Kraftliner 125 g/m² backing paper. Good hydrophobic properties and strength properties indicate the possibility of using the SX70-based wax dispersion coating as a replacement for PFAS coatings in some applications.

Raw vegetable oil from Crambe abyssinica was subjected to oxidative treatment to enhance its viscosity. The oxidation processes were carried out in the presence of N-hydroxyphthalimide with or without supercritical CO₂ as a solvent. Four spectroscopic techniques (Raman, UV-VIS, FT-IR, NMR) were applied to assess the chemical changes taking place during the oxidation. Raman and NMR spectroscopy proved best in the assessment of the chemical transformations leading to increased viscosity of the modified vegetable oil.

The lubricating properties of the lubricants were tested under boundary friction conditions; it was found that the surface-active additives had reduced the wear mark and thus the value of the Goz/40 parameter (limiting load of wear). The introduction of a surfactant containing amide compounds into the oils and greases was highly effective in slowing down the oxidation process. Lubricants containing mono–15 ([3-(N,N,N-dimethylbuthylamine)propyl]hexadecanamide chloride) and 15–4–15 (tetramethylene-bis [3-(N,N,N-dimethylamine)propyl]hexadecanamide) additives were characterised by higher oxidation stability compared to the unmodified lubricants. Both of the analysed substances showed bactericidal properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritica. Tests of antibacterial activity in the lubricants with the addition of mono–15 and 15–4–15 confirmed that these lubricants can be considered bactericidal against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

The lubricating properties of three secondary amides were evaluated using the four-ball apparatus method. It was found that the studied amides—N-propylpropanamide (AC3C3), N-propyloctanamide (AC3C8), and N-propyldodecanamide (AC3C12)—could be a promising group of new AW/EP (anti-wear/extreme-pressure) additives for lubricants, especially for silica-thickened greases. Of the amides tested, AC3C8 was found to have the best properties. The synthesized amide structures were immobilized on SBA-15 nanosilica and examined as described above. Notably, SBA-15 has not previously been reported as a potential lubricant additive. The results of the tribological tests showed that SBA-15-immobilized amides performed better than non-immobilized amides. Nevertheless, the lack of stability of the amide-grafted SBA-15 when dispersed in oil limits its use in targeted formulations and should be improved through further research. By testing a silica-thickened grease, a synergistic effect was observed between the free-amide AC3C8 and a commercially available additive containing butylated triphenyl phosphate. A 240% increase in the Goz40 parameter (anti-wear properties) and a 150% increase in welding load (extreme-pressure properties) were obtained with the addition of 2%w/w of commercial additive and 3%w/w of AC3C8 to a base oil.