40 | Panel Perspectives: Emulco
ZERO EMISSION BOARD AMBITIONS
Emulco has created AquaVeg bio-wax emulsions for wood panels suitable for eco-building. The product used in tandem with bio resins offers a route to zero emission wood-based panels using natural, environmentally-friendly ingredients. Stephen Powney reports
elgium-based Emulco NV has been busy on the research and testing front in the field of bio-wax emulsions with the introduction of its AquaVeg bio-emulsion into the panel board industry. The panel board industry heard about the product in a joint presentation between Emulco and bio-based adhesives producer Sestec at the recent International Panel Products Symposium in Wales (organised by the BioComposites Centre). The emulsion specialist told delegates it had succeeded in combining its AquaVeg water-based bio-emulsion with formaldehyde-free bio-based binders to produce zero-emission panel boards. The findings created significant interest. Now that lab and industry tests are finalised, Emulco has started the commercialisation of its emulsion towards environmentally conscious producers of wood panels in order to bring the new panels to the market. Several negotiations are currently
B
ongoing, which means that the zero-emission wood panels might be available on the market in the mid to long term. “Construction companies and developers in the ever-growing segment of eco-buildings and the health infrastructure sector are natural partners for the use of the new bio- based panels,” said Emulco.
Besides traditional panel board products,
Emulco’s AquaVeg emulsions have also been successfully introduced as a top coating for LVL (laminated veneer lumber) and CLT (cross-laminated timber) and other construction materials. Emulco says both MDF and PB panels
treated with Emulco’s and Sestec’s products passed lab and production tests with “flying colours”. Particleboards and MDF boards treated with the bio-based solution reached comparable or even better scores to panels treated with mineral wax emulsions in terms of internal bond strength (IB), modulus of rupture (MOR) and water resistance.
All panels produced with AquaVeg emulsion have demonstrated equal or better performances in thickness swelling and water absorption compared to mineral wax emulsions.
Since neither the bio-based adhesive nor
AquaVeg emulsion contain formaldehyde, the only remaining formaldehyde emissions are the ones produced by the wood itself. Emulco’s AquaVeg is a family of water- based emulsions made from vegetable waxes. They are a sustainable alternative for mineral wax emulsions, because they are bio-degradable and with zero VOC emissions.
“The possibility to treat MDF and PB boards with a formaldehyde-free combination of our AquaVeg bio-emulsions and bio binders is a great accomplishment of Emulco’s and Sestec’s R&D capabilities,” said Jean Vanhoebost, CEO of Emulco. “The market opportunities are huge, because eco-building is quickly becoming a leading trend in the construction sector.
Above: Emulco is starting commercialisation of the Aquaveg biowax emulsion WBPI | December 2023/January 2024 |
www.wbpionline.com
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