The present disclosure discloses a preparation method of an ultraviolet (UV)-resistant and transparent lignin-based polyurethane (PU) elastomer. During the synthesis process, natural lignin-based polyols are directly used as an end-capping agent, isophorone diisocyanate and 2,2-dimethylolbutyric acid are used as a hard segment and polyether chain polyols are used as a soft segment, to synthesize a PU elastomer with a transparent brown appearance, excellent high elasticity and elastic recovery performance, as well as excellent mechanical properties, excellent UV resistance and repeatable processability. The lignin-based PU elastomer has a simple preparation process, and has great potential values for use in the fields such as PU elastomer film, fabric coating, and elastic fiber and biomass polymer materials.

A catalyst composition, binder composition, and method for producing a cellulosic material is shown and described herein. In embodiments, the catalyst composition comprises (i) a metal elected from a metal complex comprising a metal from Groups IB, IIB, IVB, VB, VIIB, VIIB, and VIIIB of the Periodic Table of the Elements; and (ii) a solvent selected from a dialkyl sulfoxide, an organic carbonate; acetic acid; a carboxylic acid, an N-alkyl amides, organic carboxylic acid diester or diamide or mixed ester-amide, or a combinations of two or more thereof.

A wax-extender emulsion including a plurality of wax-extender complex particles suspended in water is described. A wax-extender complex includes a wax component, an organic extender component and a surfactant that stabilizes the wax component and the organic extender component collectively to form the wax-extender complex. The wax-extender emulsion comprises from 2 wt % to 30 wt % organic extender. During manufacturing, the organic extender and wax component are emulsified and homogenized together to produce the wax-extender emulsion. The wax-extender emulsion can be co-applied as a mixture with adhesive resin during wood-based composite manufacturing.

In general the present invention relates to polyurethanes based on the reaction of (a) a disocianate composition with (b) depolymerized lignin containing lignin-derived monomers, or the products of their respective functionalization; (c) a polyol composition, if desired (d) chain extenders, if desired. (e) additives, if desired. More specifically, this process relates to the use of depolymerized lignins containing varying amounts of 4-hydroxylalkylphenols or 4-alkylphenols and their derivatives. The polyurethanes can be partially or fully bio-based. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for preparing these polyurethanes and to their use.

Modified lignin products, processes for making them, and their use to produce rigid polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foams are disclosed. The processes comprise heating a lignin source with a nitrogen source and a starved concentration of a C.sub.1-C.sub.5 aldehyde to give a reaction mixture comprising a Mannich condensation product, neutralizing the reaction mixture, and isolating the modified lignin product. The process is performed at a mass ratio of lignin source to nitrogen source within the range of 1:1 to 1:5 and at a molar ratio of nitrogen source to C.sub.1-C.sub.5 aldehyde within the range of 3.5:1 to 1:1. Polyol blends and performance additives that contain the modified lignin products are described. Rigid foams that process well and incorporate up to 60 wt.%, based on the amount of polyol component, of the modified lignin contribute to excellent flame retardancy and low-temperature R-value performance.

A binder has at least one isocyanate and at least one biopolymer mixed with water. The biopolymer may be a biopolymer nanoparticle or cooked and chemically modified starch. Optionally, the binder may also include urea. The biopolymer and water are mixed, and the isocyanate is added to the mixture. The binder may have a viscosity that is suitable for being sprayed on a substrate to make a composite material, for example a viscosity of 700 cP or less or 500 cP or less at 40° C. The substrate may be wood, another lignocellulosic material, or synthetic or natural fibers. In particular examples, the binder is used to make no added formaldehyde wood composites including particle board and fiberboard. Alternatively, the binder may have a higher viscosity and be used to make plywood.

A process includes calcining a high potassium carbonaceous waste product to form potassium oxide and carbon dioxide and reacting the potassium oxide and carbon dioxide to yield bio-based potassium carbonate. The process also includes catalyzing a reaction of a lignocellulosic biomass with abundant hydroxyl groups into a biopolyol using the bio-based potassium carbonate and brominating using a brominating agent a triglyceride to form a bio-isocyanate. In addition, the process includes reacting the biopolyol and the bio-isocyanate to form a polyurethane foam.

A wax-extender emulsion including a plurality of wax-extender complex particles suspended in water is described. A wax-extender complex includes a wax component, an organic extender component and a surfactant that stabilizes the wax component and the organic extender component collectively to form the wax-extender complex. The wax-extender emulsion comprises from 2 wt% to 30 wt% organic extender. During manufacturing, the organic extender and wax component are emulsified and homogenized together to produce the wax-extender emulsion. The wax-extender emulsion can be co-applied as a mixture with adhesive resin during wood-based composite manufacturing.

The present invention concerns the field of binders suitable for wood panel manufacturing. In particular, the invention regards methods for producing bio-based formaldehyde-free binders. In a further aspect the present invention describes bio-based formaldehyde-free binders obtainable from the described methods and their uses. The invention further describes methods for gluing articles and formaldehyde-free products obtainable from the methods of the present invention.

The present invention has for its object to provide an adhesive composition that is based on a naturally occurring material less likely to have adverse influences on the human body and has a tensile shear strength (adhesive strength) of at least 1 MPa with respect to a variety of adherends. The present invention provides an adhesive composition including at least a first pack and a second pack, wherein the first pack contains a tannic acid derivative in which a hydrogen atom in at least some hydroxyl group of tannic acid is substituted by a chain hydrocarbon group having at least one hydroxyl group, and the second pack contains a hydrocarbon having at least two cyanate groups or a derivative of the hydrocarbon.