The woodworking industry generates a great amount of bark which has not yet found a wider industrial application. None of the previously conducted research has considered oak bark application (which is one of the most often processed wood species in Poland) as a filler for wood adhesives. Moreover, no studies have determined the properties of bark containing melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin (MUF), which increasingly replaces pure urea-formaldehyde adhesives. Thus, the aim of the study was to determine the possibility of grinded oak bark application as a filler for MUF adhesive in plywood manufacturing. The chemical composition of oak bark was evaluated. Properties of liquid resins, such as viscosity, gel time, pH, and solid content, were determined. Chemical interaction between the filler and resin was assessed with using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Plywood panels manufactured using MUF adhesive filled with different bark concentrations (10%, 15%, 20%, 25%) were tested in terms of such properties as formaldehyde release and bonding quality. Studies have shown an improvement in liquid resin properties. The course of FTIR spectra did not explain the chemical interaction between the polymer and the filler. The addition of oak bark at a concentration of 15% made it possible to produce plywood panels characterized by reduced formaldehyde release and improved bonding quality.

This work examines the possibility of applying non-modified nanocellulose and nanocellulose functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as a formaldehyde scavenger for commonly used urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. The effect of silanization was determined with the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and elemental analysis. Moreover, the ability of cellulosic nanoparticles to absorb the formaldehyde from an aqueous solution was investigated. After homogenization, cured UF adhesives were examined with the use of FTIR, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and the perforator method to determine the content of formaldehyde. Manufactured boards made of rape straw particles and wood particles were tested in terms of their physico-mechanical properties and formaldehyde emission. Studies have shown that the applied method of silanization was effective. Furthermore, in the case of non-modified nanocellulose, no sign of formaldehyde scavenging ability was found. However, the functionalization of cellulosic nanoparticles with APTES containing an amino group led to the significant reduction of formaldehyde content in both the aqueous solution and the UF adhesive. The mechanical properties of both strawboards and particleboards were improved due to the nanocellulose reinforcement; however, no effect of silanization was found. Nevertheless, functionalization with APTES contributed to a decrease in formaldehyde emission from boards, which was not found in the case of the introduction of non-modified cellulosic nanoparticles.

Various flours were added as fillers for urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin, and effects on the rheological behavior and the curing properties of the resin were evaluated. The plywood properties such as bonding quality, bending strength, modulus of elasticity, and formaldehyde-release were tested. Five types of flours were used, i.e., rye flour, hemp flour, coconut flour, rice flour, and pumpkin flour. The type of flour had a major influence on the properties of resin mixture such as gel time, solid content, and viscosity. The use of rye and pumpkin flour resulted in a longer gelling time, and the adhesive mixture filled with rice flour did not attain the desired viscosity value needed for the production of plywood. The best mechanical properties and bonding quality were achieved by addition of pumpkin flour. However, the bonding quality of plywood glued with an adhesive filled with every other flour retained good values exceeding 1 N/mm2 as required by the standard EN 314-2 (1993). The use of hemp flour as a filler for UF resin led to a substantial decrease of free formaldehyde content.

The possibility of using hemp flour as a filling material for melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) adhesive was investigated for the process of manufacturing plywood. Adhesive mixtures were filled with various amounts of hemp flour and compared to rye flour as a reference mixture, and their properties were tested. The quantity of added filler had a significant effect on the resins viscosity. Moreover, the replacement of rye flour with the hemp flour resulted in acceleration of gel time and a slight increase in solid content. Due to the high proteins content, hemp flour led to a significant reduction of formaldehyde emission. Bonding quality of plywood made with hemp flour as a filling material for the adhesive mixture meet the requirements from the standard. Introducing it in an amount of 20 pbw and 25 pbw (parts by weight) allowed for the production of plywood characterized by equally good mechanical properties as that of reference plywood glued with an adhesive mixed with rye flour. In summary, the proper amounts of hemp flour can be applied as a filling material and formaldehyde scavenger for MUF adhesive without the deterioration of mechanical properties of manufactured plywood.

Urea-formaldehyde adhesives are widely used in the wood-based materials industry. The study investigates the possibility of using cellulosic particles as a filler that modifies the properties of the resin and consequently improves the properties of plywood. Moreover, the study also examines the differences between microcellulose and nanocellulose used as a filler for UF adhesive. Based on the investigations, it was found that the addition of MFC and NCC significantly affected the curing process and rheological behaviour of adhesive mixtures. Modification led to increase of viscosity and extension of a gel time caused by lowering solid content of the resin. The experimental and reference plywood were tested in terms of bonding quality and mechanical properties such as modulus of elasticity and modulus of rigidity in accordance with applicable standards. The results of the tests confirmed that both the amount and the type of modifier added to the resin had a significant effect on the properties of plywood. The bonding quality and the above mentioned mechanical properties improved in all variants of modification; however the most effective was the addition of NCC in the amount of 10 %/100 g of solid resin. The slight decrease of formaldehyde emission was only observed for 5 % cellulosic particles added to 100 g of solid UF.