Influence of glutaraldehyde on the performance of MDF adhesives
Chinese researchers have investigated the influence of glutaraldehyde as crosslinking agent on the performance of a lignosulfonate/chitosan-based MDF adhesive.
Optimisation of glutaraldehyde/chitosan mass ratio was carried out based on characterisation details involving MDFs’ mechanical and dimensional performances analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction.
Promising candidate
The addition of glutaraldehyde improved the mechanical properties of the MDF significantly, while it negatively affected the dimensional properties. Chitosan was crosslinked with self-polymerised glutaraldehyde through C–N linkages which resulted in the reduction of the amide bonds and hydrogen bonds between chitosan and lignosulfonate. The proposed adhesives can be a promising candidate for traditional MDF adhesives which contain formaldehyde.
The study is published in: Applied Polymer Science, Volume 135, Issue 7, February 15, 2018.
