Effect of urea-formaldehyde resin adhesive viscosity on plywood adhesion

This work was conducted to investigate on the effect of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin viscosity on plywood adhesion. The viscosity of UF resin was controlled either by adjusting the condensation reaction during its synthesis to obtain different target viscosities (100, 200 and 300 mPa.s) at two levels of formaldehyde/urea (F/U) mole ratios (1.0 and 1.2) or by adding different amounts (10, 20 and 30%) of wheat flour into the resins for the manufacture of plywood. When the viscosity of UF resin increased by the condensation reaction, the adhesion strength of plywood bonded with UF resin of 1.2 F/U mole ratio consistently increased, while those bonded with the 1.0 F/U mole ratio resin slightly decreased, suggesting a difference in the adhesion in plywood. However, the adhesion strength of plywood decreased as the viscosity increased by adding wheat flour, regardless of F/U mole ratio. The manipulation of UF resin viscosity by adjusting the condensation reaction was much more efficient than by adding wheat flour in improving the adhesion performance of plywood. These results indicated that a way of controlling the viscosity of UF resin adhesives has a great influence to their adhesion in plywood.