A synergistic enhancement of the bonding performance of urea-formaldehyde adhesives using an organic-inorganic hybrid strategy

Bamboo resources can contribute to reducing wood shortages and neutralizing CO 2 . However, laminated bamboo-veneer lumber (LBVL), the main bamboo product, has limited applications due to its poor bonding performance. It is because the urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive used in LBVL does not have high bonding stability, which results in the warping and cracking of the board. Therefore, a simple but effective method has been proposed to improve the bonding performance of UF adhesives. Specifically, UF adhesives are strengthened and toughened through a synergistic interaction with acrylate emulsion and clay minerals. Consequently, the prepared LBVL shows excellent bonding strength with an average dip-peeling of 0.92 cm. Furthermore, compared to the unmodified UF adhesive, the synergistically enhanced UF adhesive has a prolonged gelation time, a lower free formaldehyde release level, and improved thermal stability. In addition, the prepared LBVL exhibits reduced flammability based on cone calorimetry results. Herein, the combined effect of acrylate emulsion and clay minerals was investigated, resulting in a synergistic enhancement of bonding performance and other properties. This enhancement not only contributes to the reduction of wood shortages but also aids in the neutralization of CO 2 .