Effect of Lignin Structure Characteristics on the Performance of Lignin Based Phenol Formaldehyde Adhesives

Abstract As the second most abundant biopolymer, lignin remains underutilized in various industrial applications. Various forms of lignin generated from different methods affect its physical and chemical properties to a certain extent. To promote the broader commercial utilization of currently available industrial lignins, lignin sulfonate (SL), kraft lignin (KL), and organosolv lignin (OL) are utilized to partially replace phenol in the synthesis of phenol formaldehyde (PF) adhesives. The impact of lignin production process on the effectiveness of lignin‐based phenolic (LPF) adhesives is examined based on the structural analysis of the selected industrial lignin. The results show that OL has more phenolic hydroxyl groups, lower molecular weight, and greater number of reactive sites than the other two types of lignins. The maximum replacement rate of phenol by OL reaches 70% w/w, resulting in organosolv lignin phenolic (OLPF) adhesives with a viscosity of 960 mPa·s, a minimal free formaldehyde content of 0.157%, and a shear strength of 1.84 MPa. It exhibits better performance compared with the other two types of lignin‐based adhesives and meets the requirements of national standards.