Reduction of Formaldehyde Emission from Plywood Panels Bonded with Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin (PF) by Using Polymate-777P as a Formaldehyde Scavenger

Formaldehyde emissions from wood composites, commonly used in wood-based panel industries, pose significant environmental and health concerns. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of Polymate-777P, a commercially branded formaldehyde scavenger, in mitigating formaldehyde emissions from plyboard manufactured using phenolic resin as a binder. The study involved a comprehensive evaluation of formaldehyde emission reduction in wood composites. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of Polymate-777P by using 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0% concentrations of the ply board bonded with phenol formaldehyde resin. The impact of the scavenger Polymate-777P on the properties of Phenol formaldehyde resin, including parameters such as viscosity, pH, gelation time, and free formaldehyde content, was assessed. Additionally, an evaluation of the physico-mechanical properties and formaldehyde emission of the resulting plywood was conducted. The findings of the study demonstrate that the manufactured plywood met the Japanese industrial standard F*** emission requirement (≤0.50 mg/L) and European E0 classes when Polymate-777P was employed as a scavenger at concentrations of 1.5% or higher. The study also revealed that scavenger not only reduces the formaldehyde emission of the ply board but also increases the bonding properties and technological properties of the board to some extent. The study shows the feasibility of using Polymate-777P as a formaldehyde scavenger and offers a promising solution to minimize formaldehyde emissions, contributing to improved environmental and health outcomes in wood composite industries.