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Rapid determination of formaldehyde emission potentials of binders for the woodworking industry

Rasche Bestimmung des Formaldehydemissionspotentials von Bindemitteln und Additiven für die holzverarbeitende Industrie

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Abstract

For the development and modification of low-emission binder systems for the woodworking industry a fast and simple determination method of the formaldehyde emission potential is essential. Up to now, the evaluation of glues has been complicated by long-winded and laborious methods. During panel manufacture, the hot pressing parameters significantly affect the long-term formaldehyde emission. Consequently, a comprehensive optimization of the pressing process is necessary to enable statements on the binder’s emission potential. Hence, this production step is skipped in primary binder development. For the method presented here, glued particles are hardened in a conventional laboratory drying chamber without pressing. Afterwards, the samples are analyzed in a bleached tea bag following the flask method EN717-3 (CEN 1996). With this approach, rapid determination of the formaldehyde emission potential is possible. From these results, a ranking of binders can be established, based on which an experimental design for subsequent measurements including chamber tests can be set up.

Zusammenfassung

Für die Entwicklung und Modifizierung von Niedrigemissions-Bindemittelsystemen ist es zunehmend notwendig, über eine schnelle und einfache Bestimmungsmethode für Emissionspotential eines Leimes zu verfügen. Bis dato waren für die Beurteilung eines Leimsystems im Verbund nur relativ träge Methoden vorhanden. Vor allem beim Pressen einer Platte bestimmen die Pressparameter die nachträgliche Formaldehydemission (z. B. Zeit und Temperatur). Somit muss für ein gegebenes Leimsystem der Pressvorgang jedes Mal optimiert werden, um eine detaillierte Aussage über das Emissionspotential eines Leimes treffen zu können. Daher wird versucht, auf diesen Vorgang zu verzichten. Anstatt dessen werden die beleimten Späne in einem gewöhnlichen Trockenschrank ohne zu pressen gehärtet und im Anschluss in einem Teebeutel nach der Flaschenmethode EN717-3 vermessen. Relativ zu einem Referenzsystem (z. B. Harnstoff-Formaldehyd Leim) können nun rasch Aussagen über das Emissionspotential eines Leimsystems bzw. eines Additivs gemacht werden. Ausgehend von diesen Emissionswerten kann eine Reihung möglicher Additive zur Formaldehydreduktion vorgenommen und ein detailliertes Versuchsprogramm inklusive Kammermessungen aufgestellt werden.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank for the support of the Competence Centre for Wood Composites and Wood Chemistry (Wood K plus, Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH, Austria) and the Institute of Polymer Chemistry of the Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria. The scientific work was financed by the COMET program. Special thanks to Borealis Agrolinz Melamine GmbH and Dynea Austria GmbH for material support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH (Wood K plus), Linz, Austria

    F. Dorner, D. Berger & U. Müller

  2. Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Leonding, Austria

    O. Brüggemann

  3. Borealis Agrolinz Melamine GmbH, Linz, Austria

    U. Panzer

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  1. F. Dorner
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  2. D. Berger
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  3. U. Müller
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  4. O. Brüggemann
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  5. U. Panzer
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Correspondence to F. Dorner.

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Dorner, F., Berger, D., Müller, U. et al. Rapid determination of formaldehyde emission potentials of binders for the woodworking industry. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 70, 299–306 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-011-0558-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-011-0558-7

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