Preparation and testing of plant seed meal-based wood adhesives

Authors: He, Zhongqi; Chapital, Dorselyn

Submitted to: Journal of Visualized Experiments
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2015
Publication Date: 3/5/2015
Citation: He, Z., Chapital, D.C. 2015. Preparation and testing of plant seed meal-based wood adhesives. Journal of Visualized Experiments. 97(e52557):1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Adhesive bonding of wood plays an increasing role in the forest product industry and is a key factor for efficiently utilizing timber resources. Recently, the interest in plant seed meal-based products as wood adhesives has steadily increased, as these plant raw materials are considered renewable and environmentally friendly. Recently, the interest in plant seed meal-based products as wood adhesives has steadily increased, as these plant raw materials are considered renewable and environmentally friendly. Using defatted cottonseed and soy meals as raw materials, this protocol provides a simple and straightforward way to prepare and test plant seed-based products as wood adhesives. This protocol would be helpful in facilitating the effort in seeking more economic and environmentally friendly formations of natural product-based wood adhesives.

Technical Abstract: Recently, the interest in plant seed meal-based products as wood adhesives has steadily increased, as these plant raw materials are considered renewable and environmentally friendly. These natural products may serve as alternatives to petroleum-based adhesives to ease environmental and sustainable concerns. Using cottonseed and soy meal as raw materials, this work demonstrates the preparation and testing of the plant seed-based wood adhesives. In addition to untreated meals, water washed meals and protein isolates are prepared and tested. Adhesive slurries are prepared by mixing a freeze-dried meal product with deionized water (3:25 w/w) for 2 h. Using a brush, each adhesive preparation is applied to one end of two wood veneer strips. The tacky adhesive coated area of the wood veneer strips is lapped and glued by hot-pressing. Adhesive strength is reported as the shear strength of the bonded wood specimen at break. Water resistance of the adhesives is measured by the change in shear strength of the bonded wood specimens at break after water soaking. This protocol allows one to assess plant seed-based agricultural products as suitable candidates for substitution of synthetic-based wood adhesives. Adjustments to the adhesive formulation with or without additives and bonding conditions would optimize their adhesive properties for various practical applications.