Sei Chang Oh

Environmentally friendly wood preservatives formulated with enzymatic-hydrolyzed okara, copper and/or boron salts

Novel biocides, such as copper azole (CuAz) and ammoniacal copper quaternary (ACQ), are extensively used as substitutes for chromate copper arsenate (CCA) in wood preservation. However, the expense of these biocides has necessitated the development of cost-effective and environmentally friendly wood preservatives. This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness against decaying fungi of the preservatives formulated with enzymatic-hydrolyzed okara (OK), which is an organic waste produced from the manufacture of tofu, CuCl(2) (CC) and/or Na(2)B(4)O(7).10H(2)O (B). With the addition of NH(4)OH as a dissociating agent, the addition of OK facilitated the target retention of most of the OK/CC and OK/CC/B preservative formulations in wood blocks. The OK-based wood preservatives (OK-WPs) were stable against hot-water leaching. When compared with control and CC-treated wood blocks, the leached wood blocks treated with OK/CC and OK/CC/B formulations showed excellent decay resistance against both Postia placenta and Gloeophyllum trabeum, especially when OK was hydrolyzed by Celluclast at a loading level of 0.1 ml/g. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and SEM-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) spectrometry analyses demonstrated that preservative complexes, such as OK-CC and OK-CC-B, existed in the wood blocks treated with OK/CC and OK/CC/B formulations. This study results support the potential application of OK-WPs as environmentally friendly wood preservatives capable of replacing CuAz and ACQ.

Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for extraction of pectin from rapeseed cake (Brassica napus L.) using commercial enzymes.

The aims of this study were to extract pectin from rapeseed cake (RSC) by enzymatic hydrolysis using commercial enzymes (Celluclast and Alcalase) and to investigate the effects of different reaction conditions, such as enzymatic hydrolysis time, enzyme-RSC ratio, and Celluclast-Alcalase ratio, on the degradation of RSC and pectin yield. RSC was treated using a combined extraction process that consisted of a fat removal process, enzymatic hydrolysis, and isopropanol/ethanol precipitation. After the fat removal process and enzymatic hydrolysis, defatted-RSC was suitably decomposed, and the loss of liberated reducing sugars was minimized when the hydrolysis condition reached a hydrolysis time of 270 min or an enzyme-RSC ratio of 1:50. Based on these results, various Celluclast-Alcalase ratios were applied. Alcalase led to the destruction of protein-carbohydrate complex in defatted-RSC, whereas Celluclast cleaved some linkages of carbohydrate slightly. As a result, the highest pectin yield was 6.85% at the Celluclast-Alcalase ratio of 1:4.

Efficacy of wood preservatives formulated from okara with copper and/or boron salts

As a substitute for high-cost copper azole (CuAz) and alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) wood preservatives, alternative wood preservatives were formulated with okara, which is an organic waste from the production of tofu, and copper chloride and/or borax. Each preservative was used in treatment of wood blocks in a reduced-pressure method to measure its treatability. The treated wood blocks were placed in hot water for 3 days to examine the stability of the preservatives against hot-water leaching. The preservatives successfully penetrated into wood blocks, probably due to the use of ammonium hydroxide as a dissociating agent. However, the stability of okara-based preservatives dropped as the concentration of acid in the solutions used for hydrolysis of okara increased. The treatability and leachability of the preservatives were not affected by hydrolysis temperature but were negatively affected by the addition of borax. Leached wood blocks treated with okara-based preservatives and exposed to decay fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta over 12 weeks showed good decay resistance. Okara-based wood preservatives can protect wood against fungal attack as effectively as CuAz, and have potential for use as environmentally friendly wood preservatives.

Adhesive Properties of Medium-Density Fiberboards Fabricated with Rapeseed Flour-Based Adhesive Resins

This study examined the adhesive properties of adhesives formulated with rapeseed flour (RSF), a by-product of edible oil and bio-diesel manufacture, for medium-density fiberboards (MDFs). The RSF was hydrolyzed by sulfuric acid (AC-RSFH) and sodium hydroxide (AK-RSFH) solutions of 3%, 5%, and 7%. Phenol–formaldehyde (PF) prepolymers were prepared with formaldehyde to phenol molar ratios of 1.5, 1.8, and 2.1 (1.5-, 1.8-, and 2.1-PF). RSF-based adhesives were formulated by cross-linking 35% AC-RSFH, 35% AK-RSFH, and 30% PF prepolymers on a solid weight basis. The mechanical strength and dimensional stability of the MDFs were improved by decreasing the concentration of RSF-hydrolytic agents. The properties of the MDFs bonded with RSFH/1.8-PF resins were superior to those of RSFH/1.5- or 2.1-PF resins. These results suggest that RSF can be used as a raw material for environment-friendly adhesives used in MDF production.

Antifungal efficacy of environmentally friendly wood preservatives formulated with enzymatic‐hydrolyzed okara, copper, or boron salts

Okara, an organic waste product obtained from soy milk production, was used with copper chloride or sodium borate to formulate new wood preservatives as a substitute for expensive wood preservatives, such as copper-azole-based preservatives and ammoniacal copper quaternary. Before formulating the preservatives, okara was hydrolyzed by enzymes (cellulase, pectinase, and protease) to augment penetration and fix the biocide salts of the preservatives into wood blocks. The preservatives were injected into wood blocks by vacuum pressure to measure the treatability of the preservatives. The treated wood blocks were placed in hot water for 3 d to measure leachability. The treatability and leachability of the preservatives were affected by the type and loading amount of enzymes and the addition of sodium borate into okara-based wood preservative formulations. The treatability and leachability of the preservatives formulated with copper chloride and okara hydrolysates were 63.38 and 3.15%, and those of the preservatives with copper chloride, okara hydrolysates, and sodium borate were 61.47 and 3.32%, respectively. Despite the hot water leaching, wood blocks treated with preservatives formulated with 2% cellulase, pectinase, and protease hydrolyzed okara, CuCl(2), and sodium borate showed only 1.98% average weight loss against Fomitopsis palustris over 12 weeks. Microscopic observation revealed how okara-based preservatives work in wood blocks. Okara has potential as a raw material for cost-effective and environmentally friendly wood preservatives.

Adhesive and curing properties of chicken feather/blood-based adhesives for the fabrication of medium-density fiberboards

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the adhesive properties of chicken feather (CF)-based adhesives for wood-based panels. CF was hydrolysed in sodium hydroxide solutions of 5%, 7.5% and 10% (CF-AK). Chicken blood (CB) hydrolysed in sulfuric acid solution of 5% (CB-AC) was used as a hardener. The adhesives were formulated by crosslinking 60% CF-AK, 10% CB-AC and 30% formaldehyde-based crosslinking agents (formalin, melamine-urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde prepolymers) on a solid weight basis. The CF-based adhesives were very viscous at room temperature, but the viscosity at 50 °C ranged from 300 to 600 mPa·s resulting in a sprayable adhesive. From the DSC analysis, the use of CF-AK-10% in the CF-based adhesives need longer curing time compared with that of CF-AK-5%. Most mechanical strength properties and dimensional stability of MDF bonded with CF-based adhesives were similar to those of commercial urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. However, internal bonding strength of most MDF bonded with CF-based adhesives was higher than that with the UF resin. Most adhesive properties of the MDF manufactured with the new CF adhesive met the Korean Standard requirements for interior MDF. These results suggest that CF and/or CB can be used as raw materials for environment-friendly adhesives for producing wood panels.

Evaluating The Water Resistance of Wood Adhesives Formulated with Chicken Feather Produced from Poultry Industry

본 연구는 주원료로 도계부산물인 닭털의 NaOH 가수분해물, 경화제로 닭털의 H2SO4 가수분해물 및 폼알데히드계가교제를 반응시켜 접착제를 제조하고, 이에 대한 물성 및 내수성 실험을 통하여 닭털의 목질계 판상재용 접착제의 원료화 가능성을 확인하기 위하여 수행하였다. 닭털은 주로 케라틴계 단백질로 구성되어 있었으며, 중금속의 함유량이 매우 낮거나 검출되지 않았다. 알칼리에 대한 닭털의 가수분해율은 수용액 내의 NaOH 농도가 증가함에 따라 계속 증가하였으나, 과도한 가수분해에 따른 단백질 고유의 접착능 손실을 최소화하고 적정한 가수분해 조건을 찾기 위하여 닭털의 가수분해제 내의 NaOH 농도를 5%, 7.5%, 10%로 결정하였다. 접착제의 조성을 보면, 고형분 함량을 기준으로 70%의 닭털 NaOH 가수분해물 또는/그리고 경화제로 닭털의 H2SO4 가수분해물 및 30%의 가교제로 조제하였는데, 이접착제의 고형분 함량은 가수분해 조건 및 가교제의 종류에 따라 28.3 - 44.8% 범위에 존재하였다. 이 접착제의 점도는 상온에서 전반적으로 높았으나, 50℃에서 측정한 결과 분사형 접착제로서 적용이 가능한 것으로 조사되었다. 접착제의 내수성을 비교하기 위하여 측정된 열수 불용해율은 5% 농도의 NaOH 수용액에서 반응시킨 닭털의 알칼리 가수분해물(CF-AK-5%)에 경화제로 5% 농도의 H2SO4 수용액에서 반응시킨 닭털의 산가수분해물(CF-AC-5%)을 고형분함량 기준 10% 이상 첨가하여 제조하고 경화시킨 접착제에서 높았다. 또한 접착제 제조시 고형분 함량을 기준으로 30%가 첨가된 가교제별 열수 불용해율은 phenol-formaldehyde (PF), melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF), formalin 순으로 조사되었다. 닭털 접착제의 열수 불용해율을 섬유판 제조에 사용되고 있는 석유화학계 합성수지와 비교한 결과, CF-AC-5%에 가교제로 PF를 그리고 경화제로 CF-AC-5%를 첨가하여 조제한 접착제는 기존 멜라민-요소수지의 열수불용해율과 통계학적으로 차이가 없었으며, 가교제로 PF를 사용한 모든 접착제와 고형분 함량을 기준으로 55%의 CF-AK-5%, 15%의 CF-AC-5% 그리고 가교제로 30%의 MUF와 함께 제조한 접착제는 기존 요소수지를 대체할 수 있는 것으로 조사되었다. 이 결과를 토대로 적정한 조건에서 가수분해한 닭털은 목질계 판상재용 접착제의 원료로 사용이 가능할 것으로 판단된다.