Effect of Tannin Addition as a Bio-Scavenger on Formaldehyde Content in Particleboard

Abstract

Tannin is a bitter-tasting organic substance found in plant tissue and finds plausible applications as an adhesive in wood based panel production because it is easy to handle and obtained from renewable sources. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of tannin addition to particleboard and its affect on formaldehyde content in the particleboard. Tannin had an impact in terms of reducing the amount of formaldehyde content in the particleboard. When particleboards with and without tannin were compared , the addition of 1.2% tannin (based on oven dry weight of Urea formaldehyde (UF) resin) decreased the formaldehyde content by 21.35% and the various properties of tannin had negligible effect on the formaldehyde content. The addition of tannin improved the physical properties, although the effect on mechanical properties was ambiguous. Therefore, the addition of tannin can reduce the formaldehyde content and it can act as a formaldehyde scavenger.