Green transforming black liquors as a new HCHO scavenger in production eco urea formaldehyde-agro composites

Innovative formaldehyde (HCHO)-scavenger based on black liquor is being developed to achieve eco-friendly low toxic urea formaldehyde (UF) adhesive. This scavenger will enhance the UF adhesive in production of agro-composites, complying with the environmental requirements. The HCHO-scavenger is synthesized from black liquor-based aerogels of various types of black liquors. The performance of the prepared scavengers is assessed via adsorption of HCHO; as well as its beneficial effect on properties of UF adhesive and UF-Palm fiber-composite. In order to produce a composite with mechanical properties and free-HCHO compliance with the standard specifications, the UF-scavenger system is optimized from its behavior. The data evidence the effective behavior of all investigated scavenger to improve bond strength of UF adhesive system (from 8.4 MPa to ∼ 18 MPa); and properties of UF-palm-composites, where the enhancement in modulus of rupture (MOR) and internal bond strength (IB), water repellent, reach to 50 %, 83 % and 7.7 %, respectively. In addition to success in producing eco-composites through reducing the free-HCHO of wood sample from 30.77 to 3.0–12.7 mg/100g with reduction percentages (58.7–90.3 %) exceeded those reported in the literature when carbon and silicon scavengers were used.