Fungal decay-provoked degradation of cross-linking networks in phenol-formaldehyde adhesive: From fragmentation process towards damaged mechanical robustness

The mechanical robustness of structural adhesives as represented by phenol formaldehyde (PF) adhesive is vital for the safe service of engineered wood/bamboo products facing environmental aggressors. Here, fungal decay-provoked hazard towards the mechanical robustness of PF adhesive was demonstrated, which was usually overlooked in previous works. Obtained results proved that the white rot (Trametes versicolor, T. versicolor) and brown rot (Gloeophyllum trabeum, G. trabeum) fungus can both grow on the surface of cured commercial PF adhesive. An evident oxidization can only be observed on the T. versicolor-decayed PF adhesive, as along with the appearance of 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1,4-benzenediol after decay. It further demonstrated the ruptured and oxidized cross-linking structures. The evident degradation of PF adhesive can be assigned to the favored activity of laccase (40.9 U mL−1) and lignin peroxidase (60.5 U mL−1) during the decay of T. versicolor. The elastic modulus and hardness of PF adhesive reduced by over 31.6 % and 50.2 %, respectively, which is also accompanied by the elevation in the creep deformation (45.4 %), after a 40-day T. versicolor decay. This work revealed the decay-sensitivity of PF adhesive, and the cleavage of cross-linking structures is the major trigger for the degraded mechanical robustness of PF adhesive after decay.