Urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins prepared by means of the aqueous phase of the catalytic pyrolysis of European beech wood. COST Action FP1105

The aqueous phase resulting from the catalytic pyrolysis (AQcatPy) of biomass has been successfully applied for acidification of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. The resins were synthesized at a laboratory scale and characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The bonding ability of the resins was tested through the preparation of particle boards (PBs). It was found that the UF resins prepared with AQcatPy as acidification medium have a similar performance to typical UF resins, where conventional chemicals like formic acid (FA) or acetic acid (AA) serve for pH adjustments. The new resins give PBs with somewhat improved thickness swelling (TS) values, while all other properties are at the same level.