Latest advancements in high-performance bio-based wood adhesives: A critical review

Over the last 50 years, the use of wood adhesives in the manufacturing of wood-based panel goods has increased the efficiency of wood resources. Wood adhesives are becoming more popular as the need for wood-based panels grows. By 2028, the global market for wood adhesives is expected to reach 21.8 billion dollars. Even though urea-formaldehyde (UF), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), melamine-formaldehyde (MF), phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde (PRF), and resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resins are excellent in terms of bonding performance, workability, quality, and economy, they consist of harmful or toxic chemical agents derived from fossil resources, which make their application severely limited. This review aims to go through the most significant ‘green’ wood adhesives for manufacturing high-performance wood-based panels, such as lignin, tannin, protein, natural rubber, emulsion polymer isocyanate (EPI), 1C PUR polyurethane (for glue-laminated wood and cross-laminated timber), PMDI (for particleboards, medium-density and low-density fiberboards), carboxylic acid, and vegetable oil. The physical and mechanical characteristics of bio-based wood adhesives, as well as the development of sustainable, greener, and high-performance bio-based wood adhesives, are discussed in this work. Original research papers and review articles are among the most important sources since they provide complete information on the most recent developments in sustainable, eco-friendly, and high-performance bio-based wood adhesives.