Researchers Unlock a Stronger, Greener Way to Bond Wood: Finnish pulp fiber could be used to bond wood for the construction industry
Engineered wood products, such as laminated timber, is a rapidly growing low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel. However, it is not perfect in terms of performance, durability, and sustainability. The adhesive used to fabricate engineered wood often contains fossil-based chemicals such as phenolics, formaldehyde, and isocyanates, which are a major concern. There is a great need to develop bio-based and high-performance adhesive methods as wood construction increases globally.
The performance of engineered wood products highly depends on the strength and water resistance of the bonding interface, where the adhesive and wood come into contact. Poor bonding strength and water sensitivity at the interface can create weak spots that limit both strength and durability.
“Instead of adding a separate adhesive layer, our method takes advantage of the wood’s own structure,” said Doctoral student Shiying Zhang. “By using the natural compatibility of wood with forest-derived pulp fibers, we create a robust bonding structure that becomes part of the wood itself. It shows that sustainability and high performance can go hand in hand.”
The other main team members are Professor Lauri Rautkari and Academy Research Fellow Shennan Wang.
For more details, see the full study: Multiscale Interface Engineering Enables Strong and Water Resistant Wood Bonding, published in Nature Communications.
Read more news
Aalto Distinguished Professor Tapani Vuorinen receives prestigious Wihuri International Prize
Over more than four decades of research in wood chemistry, Vuorinen has had a wide-ranging impact on science, industry and society
Prejudices are more complex than stereotypes suggest
According to social psychologists, individuals who belong to one’s own group, as well as those associated with highly esteemed and approachable groups, more often elicit admiration or respect compared to those who belong to less esteemed or perceived-as-distant groups. New brain research shows that the emotions people evoke depend not only on the social group, but also on the emotional expression and the distance from the viewer.
Making music with the Cosmos: sound art and radio astronomy improvising at the Metsähovi Radio Observatory
Want to know what the origins of a solar system sound like? Scientists joined forces with a sound artist to play with molecular gas thousands of light-years away