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Experimental Investigation of a Lignin-based Adhesive Layer for Biodegradable Composite Material Made With Wood Veneer and Hemp Fabric
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Scientists created a wood-and-fabric material called "flexwood," glued together using lignin (a natural wood substance) instead of typical plastic-based glues. This bio-based glue performed just as well—actually holding up better against tearing—and the material fully broke down in soil within about seven months, unlike synthetic composites that didn't degrade at all. This matters because everyday products like car interiors and furniture often rely on plastic adhesives that shed microplastics and never disappear from the environment; swapping in a plant-based alternative could cut down on that pollution while still making sturdy, long-lasting materials.
BACKGROUND: The current adhesives for textile laminates are generally fossil-based, with corresponding disadvantages for recycling of the composite and biodegradability in the environment. Together with cellulose, lignin is one of the main structural components of wood and is generated in large quantities as a by-product of the paper manufacturing industry. With suitable processing, lignin can be applied as a bio-based adhesive in textile composites. METHODS: In this study, lignin was applied as a thermoplastic adhesive interlayer to bond wood veneer and hemp fabric. The resulting composite ("flexwood") was evaluated in terms of its mechanical properties (tear resistance, delamination strength), durability under accelerated dry heat and wet ageing, and biodegradability through soil burial tests in an outdoor field. Reference composites made of cotton and synthetic textiles were used for comparison. These were bonded to the same wood veneer using polyurethane adhesive. RESULTS: Flexwood showed significantly higher tear resistance compared to conventional reference composites. Ageing tests demonstrated stable mechanical performance of flexwood over several weeks, although its adhesive strength decreased under prolonged humid conditions. Soil burial experiments revealed that both flexwood and the cotton-based reference degraded almost completely within 211 days, whereas the synthetic-based composite showed no relevant decomposition. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that lignin-based adhesives have strong potential for use in textile-wood composites due to their good mechanical performance and high durability for applications such as interior and automotive design. Flexwood is completely biodegradable, as confirmed by the soil burial experiments, contributing to more sustainable material cycles. Furthermore, it can replace petroleum-based polymers such as polyurethanes in textile-wood composites for various applications, thereby reducing both the carbon footprint of the products and microplastic pollution.
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