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Scavengers for achieving zero formaldehyde emission of wood-based panels

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Abstract

This work examines the performance of three formaldehyde scavengers in wood-based panels. Sodium metabisulfite, ammonium bisulfite and urea were applied in different physical forms during particleboard production, and the resulting physico-mechanical properties (internal bond strength, thickness swelling, density and moisture content) and formaldehyde emission levels were compared. Formaldehyde content was measured using the perforator method, and formaldehyde emission was evaluated both by desiccator and gas analysis methods. The chemical reactions involved in each formaldehyde scavenging process are proposed and discussed. The tested scavengers showed distinct performances under the different emission testing conditions, which were interpreted in terms of the stability of the chemical compounds formed upon formaldehyde capture. Sodium metabisulfite proved to be an excellent scavenger for all formaldehyde methods allowing the production of particleboard panels with zero formaldehyde emission.

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Acknowledgments

This work is co-founded by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional)/QREN (E0_formaldehyde project with reference FCOMP010202FEDER005347) and national funds through FCT (project PTDC/EQU–EQU/111571/2009) under the framework of COMPETE-Programa Operacional Factor de Competitividade (POFC). The authors wish to thank Euroresinas and Sonae Indústria PCDM for providing the equipment and raw materials needed for this work. Nuno Costa wishes to thank FCT/MCTES for PhD grant SFRH/BDE/33655/2009.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente e Energia (LEPAE), Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    Nuno A. Costa, João Pereira, Jorge Martins, Fernão D. Magalhães, Adélio Mendes & Luísa H. Carvalho

  2. Associação Rede de Competências em Polímeros (ARCP), Porto, Portugal

    Nuno A. Costa & João Pereira

  3. EuroResinas—Indústrias Químicas, S. A., Sines, Portugal

    Nuno A. Costa, João Ferra & Paulo Cruz

  4. Departamento de Engenharia de Madeiras (DEMad), Instituto Politécnico de Viseu, Campus Politécnico de Repeses, 3504-510, Viseu, Portugal

    Jorge Martins & Luísa H. Carvalho

Authors
  1. Nuno A. Costa
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  2. João Pereira
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  3. João Ferra
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  4. Paulo Cruz
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  5. Jorge Martins
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  6. Fernão D. Magalhães
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  7. Adélio Mendes
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  8. Luísa H. Carvalho
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luísa H. Carvalho.

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Costa, N.A., Pereira, J., Ferra, J. et al. Scavengers for achieving zero formaldehyde emission of wood-based panels. Wood Sci Technol 47, 1261–1272 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-013-0573-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-013-0573-4

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