The search for sustainable materials is gaining increasingly in importance – including in the construction and furniture industries. In order to meet this demand, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI are developing bio-based adhesives on the basis of renewable raw materials and biogenic residues. In the “LowEPanel” research project, they are testing formaldehyde-free adhesives made from lignin and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) for the production of sustainable particle boards using regional wood residues. This enables them to develop high-quality bio-based materials, thereby optimizing the value chain. Bio-based adhesives are a key technology for the bonding of materials and the conservation of finite resources, and represent a promising growth market. As a result of the research being conducted at the Fraunhofer WKI, particle boards are becoming more ecological and easier to recycle.
In the current research project “LowEPanel,” researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI are working in collaboration with partners on the testing of adhesives derived from lignin and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Lignin is a naturally occurring polymer found in the cell walls of plants and is a by-product of paper and bioethanol production. This therefore makes it a valuable resource for the manufacture of bio-based materials. HMF has the potential to be used as a starting material for the synthesis of various chemical products, including adhesives. It is a chemical intermediate that is obtained through the dehydration of sugar. Through their investigations, the researchers are tapping into high-quality areas of application for residual materials and renewable raw resources.
Formaldehyde-free organic binder for the production of particle boards
The researchers are using the formaldehyde-free organic binder, which is based on lignin and hydroxymethylfurfural, to produce particle boards for furniture and drywall construction. Particle boards are a sustainable and inexpensive building material. They are made from regionally available wood residues and recycled waste wood. The innovative adhesive does not release harmful formaldehyde and consists entirely of biogenic raw materials.
The research partners are furthermore testing whether the particle boards can be produced using alternative species of wood that will be available in greater quantities in the future as a result of forest restructuring. In the previous project, “AdLigno,” the Fraunhofer WKI successfully developed 100-percent bio-based and formaldehyde-free condensation resins on the basis of lignin and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) on a laboratory scale.
“In our new “LowEPanel” project, we are working with our partners on the further development and optimization of lignin-HMF resins for the production of particle boards.
The entire value chain is covered within the project: from raw-material suppliers, through material and process development, large-scale resin synthesis and dosing technology, and on to particle-board manufacturers,” reported Dr. Steven Eschig, Head of Department at the Fraunhofer WKI.
Experience us live at the International Conference on Wood Adhesives!
The researchers from the Fraunhofer WKI will be presenting their research results at the “International Conference on Wood Adhesives”. The conference will take place from 22 to 24 October 2025 in Vancouver, Canada.
Funding
The project Lignin-Hydroxymethylfurfural-Kondensationsharze zur Herstellung formaldehydfrei gebundener Spanplatten (Lignin-hydroxymethylfurfural condensation resins for the production of formaldehyde-free bound particle boards, “LowEPanel”) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMLEH) via the project-management agency Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (FNR). The project is listed in the FNR funding database (funding reference: 2222HV018X).
About the Fraunhofer WKI – Building the future with renewable raw materials. Since 1946.
Sustainability has been the central theme at the Fraunhofer WKI since its foundation in 1946. Founder and eponym Dr. Wilhelm Klauditz is considered a pioneer of the modern wood-based materials industry. Today, the Fraunhofer WKI utilizes the entire spectrum of renewable raw resources in order to develop sustainable materials, components and chemical products.
The institute, with locations in Braunschweig, Hanover and Wolfsburg, specializes in process engineering, molding and component production with biomaterials, bio-based binders and coatings, functionalization, fire protection, material and product testing, recycling processes and the utilization of renewable raw materials in buildings and vehicles. Furthermore, the Fraunhofer WKI is one of the leading research institutions in the field of indoor air quality.
Virtually all the processes and products resulting from the institute’s research activities are used in industry. Through its research and development activities, the Fraunhofer WKI provides an important contribution towards the development of a bio-based circular economy (circular bioeconomy).
Source
Fraunhofer-Institute WKI, press release, 2025-10-02.
Supplier
Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Ernährung und Heimat (BMLEH) (formerly BMEL)
Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR)
Fraunhofer-Institut für Holzforschung Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI
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