Development of plant oil-based adhesives for formaldehyde-free bamboo particleboards

The development of eco-friendly adhesives derived from renewable sources to replace conventional petroleum-based alternatives could promote the achievement of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Herein, a series of plant oil thermosets were developed from acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) and a palm oil-based dimethacrylate (MPOEA), and then used as the adhesives for developing formaldehyde-free bamboo particleboards. Concerning the weak cohesion and adhesion forces of the adhesives, 2-isocyanethyl methacrylate (IEM) was incorporated to enhance both the crosslinking density within the thermosets and the bonding strength between bamboo particles and the thermosetting materials. The addition of IEM resulted in a notable improvement in the processability, mechanical characteristics, thermal resistance, and lap-shear strength of the thermosets. The thermosets with optimum components attained a tensile strength of 29.7 MPa, a glass transition temperature of 106.9 °C, and a shear strength of 1.7 MPa onto bamboo. The prepared bamboo particleboards exhibited superior mechanical properties, water resistance, and high-temperature resistance.