Nanocellulose‐Modified Wood Adhesives

Abstract

Nano-scale cellulose fibers, commonly referred to as nanocellulose (NC), show excellent strength and stiffness along with a polar, highly reactive fiber surface. In recent years, substantial research efforts were dedicated to these Biobased nanofibers, and a range of possible application areas has been identified. Within the wood industry, modification of adhesives with NC may be used for improving the mechanical performance of wood adhesive bonds. The present chapter summarizes the current state of knowledge on NC-modified wood adhesives. The potential effects of NC on both adhesive and bondline properties are briefly described with a strong focus on mechanical reinforcement. Besides using NC as an additive for conventional and Biobased adhesives, purely NC-derived wood adhesives, which use the inherent adhesive capability of cellulose nanofibers, are covered as well. Based on the literature reviewed, it can be said that NC-modification is capable of significantly enhancing the bonding strength and stiffness. However, the reported improvements are inconsistent and strongly depend on the individual operational conditions. A huge future potential for NC is seen in the development of fully Biobased wood adhesives in which NC is used either alone or in mixtures with other Biobased binders.