skip to main content
:::
:::

R&D Focus

Formaldehyde-Free Wood Adhesive Celluad™

Celluad™ shows strong adhesion and excellent water resistance.

Celluad™ shows strong adhesion and excellent water resistance.

Formaldehyde is a noxious gas with a strong odor and irritating effects known for causing DNA damage and cancer at high levels. Many countries are taking actions to reduce their exposure to formaldehyde emissions. Yet formaldehyde-based resins have many industrial applications particularly in wood products such as plywood.

As many consumers demand a safer alternative to formaldehyde resins, ITRI’s formaldehyde-free wood adhesive Celluad™ chose abandoned cellulose derivative as its main raw material. This material, when combined with curing resins, offers greater adhesion than the tensile strength of the wood itself; moreover, reformed cellulose has a smooth and sticky effect when applied on wood board.

Contrary to formaldehyde, cellulose is abundant in nature and does not endanger human health. Additionally, this adhesive presents excellent adhesion as well as high water resistance. Its strong adhesion capability derives from the cross-link reaction with curing resins. To solve the issue of plywood’s poor water resistance, Celluad™ introduced hydrophobic resins, which exist in the form of emulsion and allow Celluad™ to resist against boiling water for 4 hours, attaining the boiling water test requirements of CNS1349 type I (100˚C).

Though there are several alternatives to formaldehyde-based plywood ranging from low-emitting to totally non-emitting ones, most of them are expensive. In comparison, ITRI’s cellulose-based Celluad™ does not contain any formaldehyde and costs less. There is also no need to purchase additional equipment in order to produce plywood from Celluad™. The manufacturing facilities involved in the formaldehyde-free plywood fabrication process match the original ones and the system is easy to use.

In summary, Celluad™ has advantages including its formaldehyde-free content, strong adhesion, excellent water resistance, low cost, and compatibility with the downstream plywood manufacturing process. This innovative adhesive is applicable to plywood, flooring, and lumber core board. Due to these features, major international furniture companies have decided to use ITRI’s Celluad™ in order to provide natural, non-volatile wooden plywood products while keeping the production processes free of health hazards.

Currently Celluad™ has been successfully used for producing plywood, bamboo finger joint board, and curved wood. It is also verified for use in wooden skin of floor applications. ITRI researchers are now trying to apply Celluad™ for making particle board. It is expected that the continuous development of this novel material will enable wider applications and create a healthier environment.

TOP