Developing sugar-based wood adhesives using Schiff base chemistry derived from carbohydrates

Adhesives traditionally used in wood-based products are not only toxic but also reliant on limited resources. Therefore, a key area for future research is the development of alternative adhesives made from harmless, inexpensive, and renewable raw materials. Interest has been sparked by reports of an unexpected link between adhesives and Maillard chemistry, which is at the heart of food cooking and involves a coupled reaction between proteins and sugars. A clever method that combines starch (a linear polymer) and sucrose (a cross-linking agent) inspired by the Maillard reaction. The adhesives in this work were prepared using a one-pot method from amino-functionalized sucrose (ASO) and dialdehyde starch (DAS). Compared with the DAS and ASO adhesives, the dry and wet bond strengths of the adhesives (immersed in 63 °C water and boiling water for 3 hours) were 1.75 / 1.32 / 0.92 MPa, respectively. This work provides a new strategy for broadening sugar-based wood adhesives in combination with culinary chemistry.