In this study, two types of biobased bark-derived phenol
formaldehyde
(PF) resins, namely, liquefied bark-PF and bark extractive-PF, were
synthesized from acid-catalyzed phenol-liquefied bark and bark alkaline
extractives, respectively. The biobased resins were characterized
for their chemical compositions and molecular structures using the
liquid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique.
The results indicated that the introduction of bark components (either
as liquefied bark or as bark extractives) to the phenolic resin synthesis
affected resin structures and curing performance. Methylene ether
bridges were found in the bark-derived PF resins. Bark components
made the formation of para–ortho-methylene
linkage more favorable in bark-derived PF resins than in lab PF resins.
Molecular structures of the liquefied bark-PF resin differed significantly
from those of the bark extractive-PF resins. The liquefied bark-PF
resin showed a higher ratio of para–para/ortho–para-methylene link (−CH2−), a higher unsubstituted/substituted
hydrogen (−H/–CH2OH) ratio and a higher methylol/methylene
(−CH2OH/–CH2−) ratio than
the bark extractive-PF resin. The tannin components of the bark extractives
accelerated the curing rate of the resulting bark extractive-PF resin.
The bark extractives made the ortho position of phenol react more
favorably with formaldehyde than the para position. The liquefied
bark with phenolated structures had more reactive sites toward formaldehyde
than the bark extractives and accelerated the curing rate of the resulting
liquefied bark-PF resin.