Invention:
This technology is a guayule resin-based adhesive that provides superior water resistance over existing formaldehyde-free wood adhesives. A blend of modified guayule resin with soy protein forms a natural adhesive with improved water resistance over existing soy protein adhesives.
Background:
Guayule, a plant that grows in the Southwest United States and Mexico, is a promising source of hypoallergenic natural latex rubber, requiring little water to cultivate. However, extracting latex from Guayule requires processing the entire plant, leaving most of the plant’s biomass as a byproduct. This invention supports the need to find valuable new uses for the byproducts of the latex extraction process to increase the overall economics of guayule as a sustainable crop for desert environments. In recent years, soy protein-based adhesives have become popular alternatives to petroleum-based adhesives. This technology leverages this trend by repurposing guayule resin, one of the byproducts of the latex extraction process.
Applications:
- Wood composites
- Particleboard
- Wood adhesives
Advantages:
- Utilizes sustainable crop for desert environments
- Improves guayule resin by-product economics
- Water-resistant
- Heat-resistant
- Improved viscosity
