Project: Novel starch-based adhesive systems to enable recycling of fibreboards
This project aims to develop and validate starch-based adhesives for recyclable fibreboards, both at the laboratory at Linnaeus University and in a relevant environment at an industry.
This project was concluded in 2022.
Project information
Project manager
Stergios Adamopoulos
Other project members
Reza Hosseinpourpia, Wen Jiang, Sheikh Ali Ahmed
Participating organizations
Linnaeus University, IKEA of Sweden AB, Lantmännen, Nova Innovation Solutions AB
Financier
Vinnova, Strategiska innovationsprogrammet Bioinnovation: Material med biobaserade komponenter designade för cirkularitet
Timetable
1 June 2020–31 May 2022
Subject
Forestry and wood technology (Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Faculty of Technology)
More about the project
In order to cope with increasing consumer awareness, legal requirements and alarming climate change, innovative advancements in the wood panel production are needed to reduce fossil dependency, greenhouse gas emissions and negative health impacts of formaldehyde used in current adhesives.
The aim is to develop and validate, both at the laboratory and at an industrial-relevant environment, novel adhesives based on modified starch for fibreboards, as well as the generation of secondary fibres thereof. It is hypothesized that such adhesives would enable recycling of fibreboards, for which the only management option today is incineration.
The project follows a circular economy approach, that allows agri-industries to seek valorisation options of their abundant renewable feedstock materials such as starch for higher-margin applications. Economically viable and environmental-friendly adhesives will increase the marketability and sustainability of furniture products.
In detail, the project aims at addressing all technical, market and sustainability challenges for applying starch-based adhesives in the contemporary fibreboard manufacturing (TRL3 to 5, MRL 1 to 2, SRL 1 to 2). That is expected to offer several advancements to the current state, such as more sustainable production by replacing the petroleum-derived UF resins used today, as well as fibre reuse that reduces the pressure on forests to deliver fresh fibres.
The industry has a central role in the process for integrating the developed concepts into current industrial landscapes, and represents some of the most renowned players in the value chain: an agricultural cooperative and starch producer (Lantmännen) and a manufacturer of wood panels and mass consumption furniture (IKEA of Sweden). Nona Innovation Solutions will help in presenting a novel recycling method of fibreboards based on water jets.