Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of plywood using geopolymer as binder: effect of silica fume on the plywood and binder characteristics

  • Original
  • Published:
European Journal of Wood and Wood Products Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Geopolymers show good potential to be used as free formaldehyde-based binder to produce wood-based panels. Hence, the objective of this research was to investigate the geopolymer composition as binder on the physical and mechanical properties of multi-layered plywood. The geopolymer binder was prepared based on kaolin and metakaolin as the major aluminosilicate powder that were substituted with different contents of silica fume. The results showed that the substitution of aluminosilicate with silica fume (up to 20% based on weight) in the geopolymer mixture modified the chemistry of the geopolymerisation, and hence, improved the amorphous structures of the geopolymer binder. In summary, the substitution of aluminosilicate with silica fume (up to 20% based on weight) in the geopolymer mixture improved the geopolymer binder cohesion, reduced the binder viscosity, reduced the binder curing time, increased the binder penetration into the superficial wood cells, increased the binder shear strength, increased the bending strength of plywood, and accordingly, reduced the plywood stiffness. Notably, none of the plywood samples did delaminate even after 672 h water immersion, implying that the geopolymer binder-based products have a better stability in water compared to some organic binders (e.g., adhesives based on tannin, soya and starch), which suffer from hydrolysis after immersion in water. All in all, the geopolymer binder based on metakaolin showed promising potential to be used as formaldehyde-free binder to produce plywood.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ambroise J, Maximilien S, Pera J (1994) Properties of metakaolin blended cements. Adv Cem Based Mater 1:161–168

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Autef A, Joussein E, Gasgnier G et al (2013) Role of metakaolin dehydroxylation in geopolymer synthesis. Powder Technol 250:33–39

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berzins A, Morozovs A, Van Den Bulcke J, Van Acker J (2017a) Softwood surface compatibility with inorganic geopolymer. Adv Mater Proc 2:793–798

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berzins A, Morozovs A, Gross U, Iejavs J (2017b) Mechanical properties of wood–geopolymer composite. Eng Rural Dev 16:1167–1173

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouafif H, Koubaa A, Perré P et al (2008) Analysis of among-species variability in wood fiber surface using DRIFTS and XPS: effects on esterification efficiency. J Wood Chem Technol 28:296–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen T, Niu M, Xie Y et al (2015) Modification of ultra-low density fiberboards by an inorganic film formed by Si–Al deposition and their mechanical properties. BioResources 10:538–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen L, Wang Z, Wang Y, Feng J (2016a) Preparation and properties of alkali activated metakaolin-based geopolymer. Materials 9:1–12

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen T, Wu Z, Niu M et al (2016b) Effect of Si–Al molar ratio on microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-low density fiberboard. Eur J Wood Prod 74:151–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costa NA, Pereira J, Ferra J et al (2013) Scavengers for achieving zero formaldehyde emission of wood-based panels. Wood Sci Technol 47:1261–1272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidovits J (2008) Geopolymer Chemistry and Applications, 2nd edn. Institute Geopolymere, Saint-Quentin

    Google Scholar 

  • EN 310 (1993) Wood-based panels—determination of modulus of elasticity in bending and of bending strength. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EN 314-1 (2005) Plywood. Bonding quality. Part 1: test methods. European Committee for standardization, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EN 314-2 (1993) Plywood. Bonding quality. Part 2: requirements. European Committee for standardization, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EN 317 (1993) Particleboards and fibreboards—determination of swelling in thickness after immersion in water. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Faix O, Böttcher JH (1992) The influence of particle size and concentration in transmission and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy of wood. Holz Roh-Werkst 50:221–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2017) Global forest products: facts and figures. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

  • Ghafari R, DoostHosseini K, Abdulkhani A, Mirshokraie SA (2016) Replacing formaldehyde by furfural in urea formaldehyde resin: effect on formaldehyde emission and physical–mechanical properties of particleboards. Eur J Wood Prod 74:609–616

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gouny F, Fouchal F, Maillard P, Rossignol S (2014) Study of the effect of siliceous species in the formation of a geopolymer binder: understanding the reaction mechanisms among the binder, wood, and earth brick. Ind Eng Chem Res 53:3559–3569

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassannejad H, Shalbafan A, Rahmaninia M (2018) Reduction of formaldehyde emission from medium density fiberboard by chitosan as scavenger. J Adhes 8464:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hemmilä V, Adamopoulos S, Karlsson O, Kumar A (2017) Development of sustainable bio-adhesives for engineered wood panels—a review. RSC Adv 7:38604–38630

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kazayawoko M, Balatinecz JJ, Woodhams RT (1997) Diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectra of wood fibers treated with maleated polypropylenes. J Appl Polym Sci 66:1163–1173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khater HM (2013) Effect of silica fume on the characterization of the geopolymer materials. Int J Adv Struct Eng 5:1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim S (2009) The reduction of indoor air pollutant from wood-based composite by adding pozzolan for building materials. Constr Build Mater 23:2319–2323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park B-D, Lee S-M, Roh J-K (2009) Effects of formaldehyde/urea mole ratio and melamine content on the hydrolytic stability of cured urea-melamine-formaldehyde resin. Eur J Wood Prod 67:121–123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prud’homme E, Michaud P, Joussein E et al (2010a) Silica fume as porogent agent in geo-materials at low temperature. J Eur Ceram Soc 30:1641–1648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2010.01.014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prud’homme E, Michaud P, Peyratout C et al (2010b) Geomaterial foam to reinforce wood. Strateg Mater Comput Des Ceram Eng Sci Proc 31:3–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roffael E (2006) Volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde in nature, wood and wood based panels. Holz Roh-Werkst 64:144–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarmin SN, Welling J, Krause A, Shalbafan A (2014) Investigating the possibility of geopolymer to produce inorganic-bonded wood composites for multifunctional construction material—a review. BioResources 9:7941–7950

    Google Scholar 

  • Shalbafan A, Welling J, Hasch J (2016) Geopolymers as potential new binder class for the wood based composite industry. Holzforschung 70:755–761

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shalbafan A, Welling J, Hasch J (2017) Effect of aluminosilicate powders on the applicability of innovative geopolymer binders for wood-based composites. Eur J Wood Prod 75:893–902

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh N (2018) Fly ash-based geopolymer binder: a future construction material. Minerals 8:299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sitarz M, Handke M, Mozgawa W et al (2000) The non-ring cations influence on silicooxygen ring vibrations. J Mol Struct 555:357–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu H, Van Deventer JSJ (2000) The geopolymerisation of alumino-silicate minerals. Int J Miner Process 59:247–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye H, Zhang Y, Yu Z, Mu J (2018) Effects of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin on the morphology and mechanical properties of metakaolin-based geopolymer. Constr Build Mater 173:10–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu Y, Xu P, Chen C et al (2018) Formaldehyde emission behavior of plywood with phenol-formaldehyde resin modified by bio-oil under radiant floor heating condition. Build Environ 144:565–572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z, Provis JL, Reid A, Wang H (2014) Geopolymer foam concrete: an emerging material for sustainable construction. Constr Build Mater 56:113–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.01.081

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Ali Shalbafan acknowledges the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (Grant no. 95848907) for awarding him a short-term scientific mission on 2017 at Thuenen Institute of Wood Research (Hamburg, Germany). The authors would also gratefully acknowledge the Wöllner GmbH, Ferropem and Elkam AS companies for kindly supplying the materials.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

    Masoud Bahrami & Ali Shalbafan

  2. Thünen-Institute of Wood Research, Leuschnerstr. 91c, 21031, Hamburg, Germany

    Johannes Welling

Authors
  1. Masoud Bahrami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ali Shalbafan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Johannes Welling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Shalbafan.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bahrami, M., Shalbafan, A. & Welling, J. Development of plywood using geopolymer as binder: effect of silica fume on the plywood and binder characteristics. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 77, 981–994 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-019-01462-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-019-01462-3

Search

Navigation