Bio-Based Alternatives to Phenol and Formaldehyde for the Production of Resins

Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin continues to dominate the resin industry more than 100 years after its first synthesis. Its versatile properties such as thermal stability, chemical resistance, fire resistance, and dimensional stability make it a suitable material for a wide range of applications. PF resins have been used in the wood industry as adhesives, in paints and coatings, and in the aerospace, construction, and building industries as composites and foams. Currently, petroleum is the key source of raw materials used in manufacturing PF resin. However, increasing environmental pollution and fossil fuel depletion have driven industries to seek sustainable alternatives to petroleum based raw materials. Over the past decade, researchers have replaced phenol and formaldehyde with sustainable materials such as lignin, tannin, cardanol, hydroxymethylfurfural, and glyoxal to produce bio-based PF resin. Several synthesis modifications are currently under investigation towards improving the properties of bio-based phenolic resin. This review discusses recent developments in the synthesis of PF resins, particularly those created from sustainable raw material substitutes, and modifications applied to the synthetic route in order to improve the mechanical properties.

Development of a soy protein isolate–carrageenan–quercetagetin non-covalent complex for the stabilization of β-carotene emulsions

The current study investigated the application of a soy protein isolate (SPI), κ-carrageenan (CG) and quercetagetin (Qut) non-covalent complex in stabilizing β-carotene emulsions.

Enhancing water repellence and mechanical properties of gelatin films by tannin addition

In order to reduce pollution caused by traditional non-biodegradable plastic films, renewable raw materials from plants and wastes of meat industries have been employed in this work. A hydrolysable chestnut-tree tannin was used for gelatin modification. Films of gelatin and gelatin-tannin were obtained by casting at room conditions. Transition temperatures of both gelatin and gelatin-tannin systems were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Glass transition temperatures of modified gelatin occurred at higher temperatures than for neat gelatin. Enthalpy and temperature of helix-coil transition decreased when tannin content increased due to variations in the helical structure of gelatin as a consequence of tannin presence in agreement with X-ray analysis. Mechanical and thermal behaviour varied as a function of the content of tannin, showing optimum values for films modified with 10 wt% tannin. The transparency of films was maintained after modification with tannin. Solubility and swelling tests of the films revealed that the presence of tannin reduced the water affinity of gelatin.