Adhesive made of natural or synthetic raw materials for bonding wood and wood-based materials
Wood glue is an adhesive used to tightly bond pieces of wood together. Many substances have been used as glues. Traditionally animal proteins like casein from milk or collagen from animal hides and bones were boiled down to make early glues. They worked by solidifying as they dried. Later, glues were made from plant starches like flour or potato starch. When combined with water and heated, the starch gelatinizes and forms a sticky paste as it dries. Plant-based glues were common for books and paper products, though they can break down more easily over time compared to animal-based glues.[1][2][3] Examples of modern wood glues include polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and epoxy resins. Some resins (i.e., glues) used in producing composite wood products may contain formaldehyde.[4] As of 2021, “the wood panel industry uses almost 95% of synthetic petroleum-derived thermosetting adhesives, mainly based on urea, phenol, and melamine, among others”.[5][6]
^Zhang, Yanhua; Ding, Longlong; Gu, Jiyou; Tan, Haiyan; Zhu, Libin (2015). "Preparation and properties of a starch-based wood adhesive with high bonding strength and water resistance". Carbohydrate Polymers. 115. Elsevier BV: 32–37. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2014.08.063. ISSN0144-8617. PMID25439864.
^Mantanis, George I.; Athanassiadou, Eleftheria Th.; Barbu, Marius C.; Wijnendaele, Kris (2017-11-09). "Adhesive systems used in the European particleboard, MDF and OSB industries". Wood Material Science & Engineering. 13 (2). Informa UK Limited: 104–116. doi:10.1080/17480272.2017.1396622. ISSN1748-0272.