Composite manufacturing

Abstract

A sugar-based binder composition for producing composite articles, particularly wood-based boards, comprises at least one additional particulate additive selected from the group consisting of particulate additive substances (s) having a BET surface area of ≧50 m 2 / g, amorphous silica particles, fumed silica particles, and untreated fumed silica particles. According to a further aspect, the present invention provides composite articles, particularly wood-based boards, plywood, and wood particle boards, produced according to the methods described herein.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to composite products, particularly wood boards, and methods for their manufacture. The present invention provides binder compositions having properties including excellent cure speed, bond strength, parting strength, tensile strength and low swelling properties, ease of handling, and good storage stability. More particularly, the present invention provides binder compositions having properties including excellent bond strength and low migration of the binder composition. Even more particularly, the present invention provides reduced and / or no bleedthrough of the binder composition, especially for plywood. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0002] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing a wood board as defined in claim 1. Further aspects are defined in other independent claims, and the dependent claims define preferred or alternative embodiments.

[0003] According to one of its aspects, the present invention provides a method for making a wood board, comprising the steps of: - applying a binder composition, in particular in the form of an aqueous solution, to loosen the wood material to obtain a resinated loose wood material; - arranging the resinated wood material as a loosely arranged sheet of resinated wood material; - subjecting the loosely laid sheets of resin-treated wood material to heat and pressure to cure the binder composition and form a wood board from the loosely laid sheets of resin-treated wood; Including, The binder composition comprises: a polymerizable reactant; - Fillers as needed, - at least one further particulate additive substance; The method further provides a sugar-based binder composition comprising: The at least one further particulate additive material is - ≧50m 2 / g BET specific area of ​​particulate additive material(s); - amorphous silica particles, in particular synthetic amorphous silica particles, - fumed silica particles, and - Untreated fumed silica particles is selected from the group consisting of: Alternatively or additionally, the at least one further particulate additive has a mean diameter and / or median (D 50 ) primary particle diameter, particularly hydrophilic particles.

[0004] The method can be used for the production of wood boards, engineered wood, composite wood, man-made wood, or fabricated boards, especially those made by bonding wood strands, particles, fibers, plies, veneers, or layers together with a binder to form a wood board. The wood board may be a plywood, particularly a wood-based panel, consisting of layers (also called veneers), particularly an assembly of veneers, glued together, in which the grain direction in adjacent layers is offset, particularly at right angles, and may be plywood as described and / or meets the requirements of ISO 12465:2007 or EN 313-2:2000 or EN 313-1:1996 or EN 636:2003 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). The wood used for the veneer may be selected from cedar, Douglas fir, spruce, pine, fir, redwood, oak, beech, cherry, mahogany, poplar, eucalyptus, maple, birch, and ilomba. Preferably, the wood used for the veneer is selected from poplar, oak, eucalyptus, birch, and beech. In fact, the method is particularly suitable for reducing the penetration of sugar-based binders, especially for the manufacture of plywood. Penetration is the tendency of a binder composition to disperse, penetrate, or soak into the cellulose structure and / or fibers of a plywood board, especially when exposed to heat and pressure during the curing of the binder composition. Penetration presents particular problems when it occurs with dark binder compositions, as it can result in undesirable visible coloration or staining on the surface layer of the plywood. Thus, the method has particular utility for reducing the penetration of dark binder compositions.

[0005] The method is also useful for producing wood particle boards or resin-bonded particle boards, which comprise or consist of wood particles held together by a binder. In this case, the loose wood material comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of wood particles. The wood particles can include wood chips, wood flakes, sawmill shavings, wood strands, sawdust, wood fibers, and mixtures thereof. The wood particles can be selected from virgin wood, recycled wood, or combinations thereof. The wood particles can be selected from birch, beech, alder, pine, tropical spruce, and wood mixtures. Preferably, the wood particles contacted with the binder composition have a moisture content of ≦8%, ≦6%, or ≦5% by weight. The wood particles can be dried before being contacted with the binder composition, and the dried wood particles can have a moisture content of ≧1 wt%, ≧1.5 wt%, or ≧2 wt%, and ≦5 wt%, ≦4 wt%, or ≦3.5 wt%. The wood particle board can be P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, or P7 particle board as described and / or defined in EN312:2003 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). The method is particularly suitable for boards that meet the requirements of P4 boards.

[0006] The wood board may be oriented strand board (OSB), in particular OSB / 1, OSB / 2, OSB / 3 or OSB / 4 oriented strand board, as described and / or meeting the requirements of EN300:2006 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0007] The wood board may be a fiberboard, in particular hardboard (HB), mediumboard (MBL or MBH), softboard (SB) or medium density fiberboard (MDF), as described and / or fulfilling the requirements of EN622-1:2003 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). The wood board may be a medium density fiberboard MDF, in particular MDF.H, MDF.LA, MDF.HLS, L-MDF, L.MDF.H, UL1-MDF, UL2-MDF or MDF.RWH, as described and / or fulfilling the requirements of EN622-5:2009 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).

[0008] The wood board may be provided with a facing, for example a veneer or melamine layer, for example to improve the visual appearance and / or durability of its surface(s).

[0009] According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of fabricating a composite article, comprising: - applying a binder composition, in particular in the form of an aqueous solution, to an unassembled or loosely assembled material to obtain a resin-coated material; - placing the resinized material to provide a loosely placed resinized material; - subjecting the loosely laid resinized material to heat and / or pressure to cure the binder composition and form a composite article. Including, The sugar-based binder composition comprises: a polymerizable reactant; - Fillers as needed, - at least one further particulate additive substance; a sugar-based binder composition comprising: At least one further particulate additive material is - ≧50m 2 / g BET specific area of ​​particulate additive material(s); - amorphous silica particles, in particular synthetic amorphous silica particles, - fumed silica particles, and - Untreated fumed silica particles The method is selected from the group consisting of: Alternatively or additionally, the at least one further particulate additive has a mean diameter and / or median (D 50 ) primary particle diameter, particularly hydrophilic particles.

[0010] According to a further aspect, the present invention provides composite products, particularly wood boards, plywood, and wood particle boards, made according to the methods described herein.

[0011] Any feature described herein in relation to a particular aspect of the invention can be used in relation to any other aspect of the invention. The present invention provides, for example, the following items. (Item 1) A method for producing a wood board, comprising: - applying a binder composition, in particular in the form of an aqueous solution, to relax the wood material to obtain a resinated loose wood material; - arranging said resinized wood material as a loosely laid sheet of resinized wood material; - subjecting the loosely laid sheets of resinized wood material to heat and pressure to cure the binder composition and form the wood board from the loosely laid sheets of resinized wood; Including, The binder composition comprises: - polymerizable reactants, at least 50% by dry weight of said polymerizable reactants comprising reactants selected from: i) one or more reducing sugar reactants; ii) one or more reactants that under curing conditions produce one or more reducing sugar reactants; iii) curable reaction product(s) of one or more reducing sugar reactants; iv) reactants that react with said one or more reducing sugar reactants under curing conditions; and v) combinations of the foregoing reactants; - Fillers as needed, - ≧50m 2 / g BET specific area of ​​particulate additive material(s); - amorphous silica particles, in particular synthetic amorphous silica particles, - fumed silica particles, and - Untreated fumed silica particles at least one further particulate additive material selected from the group consisting of The method of claim 1, wherein the binder composition is a sugar-based binder composition comprising: (Item 2) the polymerizable reactant consists essentially of, preferably consists of, a Maillard reactant(s); - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the hardenable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and - one or more nitrogen-containing reactants Item 1. The method according to item 1, comprising: (Item 3) The at least one further particulate additive material is ≧50 m 2 / g, preferably ≥ 100m 2 / g, more preferably ≥ 120m 2 The method of any preceding item, wherein the particulate additive material has a BET specific area of ​​1000 nm / g. (Item 4) The at least one further particulate additive material has a particle size of ≦600 m 2 / g, preferably ≦300m 2 / g, more preferably ≦250m 2 The method according to item 3, having a BET specific area of ​​1 / g. (Item 5) 10. The method of any preceding item, wherein the at least one further particulate additive is a particulate additive having an average primary particle size of ≧5 nm and ≦100 nm, preferably ≧5 nm and ≦50 nm, more preferably ≧7 nm and ≦30 nm, and even more preferably ≧10 nm and ≦20 nm. (Item 6) The method of any preceding item, wherein the at least one additional particulate additive material comprises synthetic amorphous silica particles. (Item 7) 10. The method of any preceding item, wherein the at least one further particulate additive material comprises fumed silica, in particular untreated fumed silica. (Item 8) 10. The method of any preceding item, wherein the at least one further particulate additive substance comprises hydrophilic particles. (Item 9) the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 1 wt. %, preferably at least 3 wt. %, preferably at least 5 wt. %, more preferably at least 7 wt. % of said at least one further particulate additive material by dry weight of said sugar-based binder composition, and / or b) no more than 15 wt. %, preferably no more than 12 wt. %, more preferably no more than 10 wt. % of said at least one further particulate additive material by dry weight of said sugar-based binder composition 2. The method of any preceding item, comprising: (Item 10) The method of any preceding item, wherein the at least one reducing sugar reactant is selected from the group consisting of xylose, dextrose, fructose, and combinations thereof. (Item 11) The method of any preceding item, wherein the polymerizable reactants comprise at least one reducing sugar reactant and at least one nitrogen-containing reactant. (Item 12) The method of any preceding item, wherein the polymerizable reactant comprises a curable reaction product(s) of at least one reducing sugar reactant and at least one nitrogen-containing reactant. (Item 13) 13. The method according to any one of items 2 to 12, wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant comprises polyprimary polyamine(s), in particular polyprimary polyamine(s) selected from the group consisting of diprimary diamines, preferably 1,6-diaminohexane, triprimary triamine(s), preferably 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine, and combinations thereof. (Item 14) the polymerizable reactant consists essentially of, preferably consists of, a Maillard reactant(s); - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the hardenable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and - one or more nitrogen-containing reactants Including, the one or more reducing sugar reactants are selected from the group consisting of xylose, dextrose, fructose, and combinations thereof; 10. The method of any preceding item. (Item 15) the polymerizable reactant consists essentially of, preferably consists of, a Maillard reactant(s); - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the hardenable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and - one or more nitrogen-containing reactants Including, the one or more nitrogen-containing reactants are selected from the group consisting of 1,6-diaminohexane, 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine, and combinations thereof; 10. The method of any preceding item. (Item 16) 16. The method of any one of items 2 to 15, wherein the polymerizable reactants comprise between 60 wt% and 95 wt% of the at least one reducing sugar reactant and between 5 wt% and 40 wt% of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant, based on the total dry weight of the polymerizable reactants. (Item 17) the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 40 wt. %, preferably at least 50 wt. %, preferably at least 55 wt. %, more preferably at least 60 wt. %, of said polymerizable reactant, based on the total dry weight of said binder composition; and / or b) less than 99 wt%, less than 97 wt%, less than 95 wt%, less than 90 wt%, less than 80 wt%, or less than 70 wt% of the polymerizable reactants, based on the total dry weight of the binder composition. 10. The method of any preceding claim, comprising: (Item 18) 10. The method of any of the preceding items, wherein the sugar-based binder composition comprises between 3 wt% and 50 wt%, particularly between 5 wt% and 40 wt%, particularly between 15 wt% and 35 wt% of the optional filler(s), based on the total dry weight of the binder composition. (Item 19) The method of any preceding item, wherein the optional filler comprises one or more fillers selected from the group consisting of almond shell powder, kaolin, calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof. (Item 20) 10. The method according to any of the preceding items, wherein the binder composition is applied to the loose wood material in the form of an aqueous solution containing 40 to 95 wt. %, in particular 45 to 90 wt. %, preferably 50 to 85 wt. % or more preferably 60 to 80 wt. % solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous binder composition. (Item 21) 10. The method of any preceding item, wherein the wood board comprises at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% or at least 95% by weight of wood material. (Item 22) 10. The method according to any of the preceding items, wherein the wood board is selected from the group consisting of plywood, particleboard, in particular P4 particleboard, oriented strand board, and fiberboard, in particular hardboard (HB), medium board (MBL or MBH), softboard (SB) or medium density fiberboard (MDF). (Item 23) - the wood board is a plywood comprising a stack of individual veneers, - the loose wood material constitutes one or more of the individual veneers; - the resinated wood material constitutes one or more individual resinated veneers, - the step of arranging the resinated wood material as a sheet of loosely laid resinated wood material comprises arranging the resinated veneers as a stack, wherein the grain direction of adjacent veneers is offset, in particular offset at right angles. 10. The method of any preceding item. (Item 24) - the wood board is a wood particle board, - the loose woody material comprises wood particles; 23. The method according to any one of items 1 to 22. (Item 25) 24. Use of the at least one further particulate additive material in the method for making plywood according to item 23, to reduce penetration of the binder composition into the veneer during curing. (Item 26) 25. Use of the at least one further particulate additive material in the method for producing a wood particle board according to item 24, to reduce the susceptibility of the wood particle board to swelling when immersed in water. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The term "binder composition" as used herein means all components (other than the loose material itself and any moisture in the loose material) that are applied to and / or present on a loose material, such as a wood material, especially before hardening, including the polymerizable reactants, optional filler (if present), and at least one further particulate additive. The binder composition can include one or more solvents, and preferably includes water, so that the binder composition is provided as an aqueous solution. When provided as a solution, especially an aqueous solution, one or more components of the binder composition, especially the optional filler and at least one further particulate additive, can be present as a dispersion or emulsion in the solution.

[0013] The term "polymerizable reactant," as used herein, means a reactant that can polymerize under curing conditions to form a polymeric binder. The polymerizable reactant crosslinks upon curing to form a hardened binder that holds together previously loosely placed materials of a composite product, such as the wood material of a wood board. The hardened binder is preferably a thermosetting resin and is preferably water-insoluble.

[0014] The term "dry weight of the binder composition," as used herein, means the weight of all components of the binder composition, excluding any water present (whether in the form of liquid water or crystalline water) and excluding any other solvents present.

[0015] The polymerizable reactants can constitute ≧80%, ≧90%, or ≧95% and / or ≦99% or ≦98% by dry weight of the binder composition, especially when no optional filler or a small amount of optional filler is present.

[0016] The at least one further particulate additive may constitute ≧1%, ≧2%, ≧3%, ≧5%, or ≧7% and / or ≦15%, ≦13%, ≦12%, or ≦10% by dry weight of the binder composition. The at least one further particulate additive may be present in the binder composition in an amount of ≧0.5%, ≧1%, ≧2%, or ≧3% and / or ≦25% or ≦20% by dry weight, relative to the dry weight of the polymerizable reactants.

[0017] In some embodiments, the binder composition includes one or more optional fillers, e.g., one or more fillers are preferably included for the production of plywood, and the optional filler(s) can comprise ≧10%, ≧15%, ≧20%, or ≧25% and / or ≦55%, ≦50%, ≦40%, or ≦35% by dry weight of the binder composition and / or cured binder. In particular, when the binder composition includes an optional filler, the polymerizable reactants can comprise ≧40%, ≧50%, ≧55%, or ≧60% and / or ≦90%, ≦85%, ≦80%, ≦75%, or ≦70% by dry weight of the binder composition.

[0018] The binder composition is preferably free of, or contains no more than 2 wt%, no more than 5 wt%, or no more than 10 wt% of, urea formaldehyde (UF), melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF), phenol formaldehyde, and combinations thereof.

[0019] The binder composition is preferably a "formaldehyde-free binder," i.e., none of the components used to form the binder composition contain formaldehyde. The binder composition may be "substantially free of formaldehyde," i.e., one that emits less than 5 ppm formaldehyde as a result of drying and / or curing (or a suitable test that simulates drying and / or curing), and more preferably is "formaldehyde-free," i.e., one that emits less than 1 ppm formaldehyde under such conditions.

[0020] The term "loosely laid sheets of resinated wood material" as used herein means that the resinated wood material is assembled together with sufficient integrity to allow the sheet to be processed along a production line, but without permanently bonding the resinated wood material together in a manner such as that achieved by fully crosslinking the binder composition. Prior to curing, the binder composition preferably provides a tack or cohesion that holds the loosely laid wood material together. For example, in the case of wood particle board, the loosely laid sheets of wood material preferably have sufficient cohesion to remain in sheet or mat form, particularly as they pass along a production line and / or are transported between conveyor belts. In the case of plywood, the individual plies, i.e., the individual veneers in a stack of resinated veneers, preferably have sufficient cohesion to avoid relative movement between the veneers, particularly as they pass along a production line and / or are transported between conveyor belts.

[0021] The binder composition is a sugar-based binder composition. As used herein, the term "sugar-based binder composition" means that at least 50% by dry weight of the polymerizable reactants include reactants selected from: i) one or more reducing sugar reactants; ii) one or more reactants that, under curing conditions, produce one or more reducing sugar reactants; iii) curable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants; iv) reactants that, under curing conditions, react with one or more reducing sugar reactants; and v) combinations of the foregoing reactants. Preferably, a) the polymerizable reactants consist essentially of or consist of reactants selected from: b) At least 60% by dry weight, more preferably at least 70% by dry weight, of the polymerizable reactants comprise reactants selected from: i) one or more reducing sugar reactants, ii) one or more reactants that under curing conditions produce the one or more reducing sugar reactants, iii) curable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, iv) reactant(s) that react with the one or more reducing sugar reactants under curing conditions, and v) combinations of the foregoing reactants. The reactant(s) that react with the one or more reducing sugar reactants under curing conditions preferably comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of one or more nitrogen-containing reactants. The hardenable reaction product(s) of the one or more reducing sugar reactants preferably comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the reaction product of one or more reducing sugar reactants and one or more nitrogen-containing reactants.

[0022] As used herein, the terms "consisting essentially of" and "consisting essentially of" are intended to limit the description or claims to the particular materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the invention.

[0023] The at least one reducing sugar reactant can comprise a monosaccharide, a monosaccharide in its aldose or ketose form, a disaccharide, a polysaccharide, a triose, a tetrose, a pentose, a xylose, a hexose, a dextrose, a fructose, a heptose, or a mixture thereof. The at least one reducing sugar reactant can comprise and / or be provided in situ by a carbohydrate reactant(s), particularly a carbohydrate reactant(s) having a dextrose equivalent of at least about 50, at least about 60, at least about 70, at least about 80, or at least about 90. The carbohydrate reactant can be selected from the group consisting of sucrose, one or more non-reducing sugars, molasses, starch, starch hydrolysates, cellulose hydrolysates, and mixtures thereof. For example, the at least one reducing sugar reactant can comprise or consist of a reducing sugar reactant(s) provided in situ by sucrose. The at least one reducing sugar reactant can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a combination of dextrose and fructose. The combination of dextrose and fructose can constitute at least 80 wt% of the reducing sugar reactants. Alternatively or additionally, dextrose can constitute at least 40 wt% of the reducing sugar reactants and / or fructose can constitute at least 40 wt% of the reducing sugar reactants. The at least one reducing sugar reactant can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The at least one reducing sugar reactant can include reducing sugar reactant(s) selected from the group consisting of xylose, arabinose dextrose, mannose, fructose, and combinations thereof, for example constituting at least 80 wt% of the reducing sugar reactants.

[0024] As used herein, the term "nitrogen-containing reactant(s)" means one or more compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom and that are capable of reacting with at least one reducing sugar reactant, preferably the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant consists of Maillard reactant(s), i.e., reactant(s) that are capable of reacting with at least one reducing sugar reactant as part of a Maillard reaction.

[0025] The at least one nitrogen-containing reactant can include reactant(s) selected from the group consisting of inorganic amines, organic amines, organic amines containing at least one primary amine, salts of organic amines containing at least one primary amine, polyamines, polyprimary polyamines, and combinations thereof, any of which can be substituted or unsubstituted. The at least one nitrogen-containing reactant can include NH3. NH3 can be used by itself (e.g., in the form of an aqueous solution) or as an inorganic or organic ammonium salt, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ammonium citrate, triammonium citrate, or as a source of NH3, such as urea. The nitrogen-containing reactant(s) can include ammonium sulfate and / or ammonium citrate. Preferably, the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of organic amine(s), including at least one primary amine, more preferably polyprimary polyamine(s). These may be optionally substituted. As used herein, the term "polyamine" refers to any organic compound having two or more amine groups, and the term "polyprimary polyamine" refers to an organic compound having two or more primary amines (-NH). As used herein, the term "substituted" refers to the replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms with other functional groups. Such other functional groups may include hydroxyl, halo, thiol, alkyl, haloalkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylheteroalkyl, nitro, sulfonic acid and its derivatives, and carboxylic acid and its derivatives.

[0026] The polyprimary polyamine may be a diamine, triamine, tetraamine, or pentaamine. As used herein, the term "diamine" refers to an organic compound having two (only two) amines, "triamine" refers to an organic compound having three (only three) amines, "tetraamine" refers to an organic compound having four (only four) amines, and "pentaamine" refers to an organic compound having five (only five) amines. For example, the polyprimary amine may be a triamine selected from diethylenetriamine (a diprimary triamine, i.e., diethylenetriamine has three amines, two of which are primary amines) or bis(hexamethylene)triamine; a tetraamine, particularly triethylenetetramine; or a pentaamine, particularly tetraethylenepentamine. The polyprimary polyamines may comprise diprimary diamines, in particular 1,6-diaminohexane (hexamethylenediamine, HMDA) or 1,5-diamino-2-methylpentane (2-methyl-pentamethylenediamine). The polyprimary polyamines may comprise triprimary triamines, in particular 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine (AMOD). One, two, several or each of the primary amines of the polyprimary polyamine(s) may be in the form of a salt, e.g., an ammonium group (—NH +) . It is particularly preferred that the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a polyprimary polyamine selected from the group consisting of i) 1,6-diaminohexane, ii) 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine, and iii) a combination of 1,6-diaminohexane and 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine. Thus, in one preferred embodiment, the polymerizable reactants of the sugar-based binder composition comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a reactant selected from the group consisting of i) at least one reducing sugar reactant, ii) one or more polyprimary polyamines selected from 1,6-diaminohexane (hexamethylenediamine, HMDA), 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine (AMOD) and salts of these polyamines, and iii) the curable reaction product of (i) and (ii).

[0027] The polymerizable reactant is at least one reducing sugar reactant ≥ 50%, ≥ 60%, or ≥ 70% by dry weight of the polymerizable reactants, and / or constitutes ≦97%, ≦95%, ≦90%, or ≦85% by dry weight of the polymerizable reactants; and / or at least one nitrogen-containing reactant ≥ 3%, ≥ 5%, ≥ 7%, ≥ 10%, or ≥ 15% by dry weight of the polymerizable reactants, and / or Constitutes ≦50%, ≦40%, ≦30%, or ≦25% by dry weight of the polymerizable reactants; It can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the reactants. The polymerizable reactants can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of reactants consisting of between 60% and 95% by dry weight of at least one reducing sugar reactant and between 5% and 40% by dry weight of at least one nitrogen-containing reactant, based on the total dry weight of the polymerizable reactants.

[0028] The ratio of carbonyl groups in the at least one reducing-sugar reactant to reactive amino groups in the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant can range from 5:1 to 1:2. For example, the ratio of carbonyl groups to reactive amino groups can range from 5:1 to 1:1.8, 5:1 to 1:1.5, 5:1 to 1:1.2, 5:1 to 1:1, 5:1 to 1:0.8, and 5:1 to 1:0.5. Further examples include ratios such as 4:1 to 1:2, 3.5:1 to 1:2, 3:1 to 1:2, 2.5:1 to 1:2, 2:1 to 1:2, and 1.5:1 to 1:2. As used herein, the term "reactive amino group" refers to any amino group in the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant that can react with the at least one reducing-sugar reactant. Specifically, examples of such reactive amino groups include primary and secondary amines.

[0029] The at least one nitrogen-containing reactant and the at least one reducing sugar reactant are preferably Maillard reactant(s). The at least one nitrogen-containing reactant and the at least one reducing sugar reactant (or their reaction product(s)) preferably react to form Maillard reaction products, particularly melanoidins, when hardened. The hardening of the binder composition can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of Maillard reaction(s). Preferably, the hardened binder comprises polymer(s) essentially consisting of Maillard reaction products. The hardened binder composition can comprise melanoidin-containing polymer(s) and / or nitrogen-containing polymer(s), and is preferably a thermosetting binder, and is preferably substantially water-insoluble.

[0030] The binder composition and / or the cured binder can include ester and / or polyester compounds.

[0031] The binder composition can be prepared by combining all of the polymerizable reactants, particularly all of the at least one reducing sugar reactant and all of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant, in a single preparation step, for example, by dissolving the reducing sugar reactant in water and then adding the nitrogen-containing reactant. The term "single preparation step" is used herein to distinguish from "multiple preparation step" preparations in which a first portion of the polymerizable reactants are combined, stored, and / or allowed to react for a period of time before additional polymerizable reactants are added.

[0032] Alternatively, the binder composition comprises: - combining the reducing sugar reactant(s), in particular all of the at least one reducing sugar reactant, with a first portion of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant to provide an intermediate binder composition; - storing the intermediate binder composition, and - combining the intermediate binder composition with a second portion of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant to provide all polymerizable reactants of the binder composition; It can be prepared by The intermediate binder composition can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the reaction product(s) of at least one reducing sugar reactant and a first portion of at least one nitrogen-containing reactant. The reactants can be heated to provide the intermediate binder composition, which can then be cooled. The first portion and the second portion of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant may be the same nitrogen-containing reactant or may be different nitrogen-containing reactants.

[0033] As used herein, "storing the intermediate binder composition" means that the intermediate binder composition can be stored or transported for an extended period of time, particularly without crystallization of the at least one reducing sugar reactant or gelation that could render the binder composition unusable. The intermediate binder composition can be stored for at least 30 minutes, at least 1 hour, at least 4 hours, at least 12 hours, at least 24 hours, at least 96 hours, at least 1 week, at least 2 weeks, or at least 4 weeks.

[0034] Optional filler(s) and / or at least one further particulate additive can be added to the polymerizable reactants, all together or in parts, to form, for example, a binder composition to be applied to loose wood material. In one preferred embodiment, particularly for use in the manufacture of wood particle board, where the at least one further particulate additive comprises silica particles, particularly fumed silica particles, the silica particles are prepared in the form of an emulsion, and the emulsion of silica particles is combined with the reactants of the binder composition.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one further particulate additive material is ≧50 m 2 / g, ≥ 70m 2 / g, ≥ 100m 2 / g or ≧120m 2 / g and / or ≦600m 2 / g, ≤500m 2 / g, ≤400m 2 / g, ≤300m 2 / g, ≤250m 2 / g, ≤200m 2 / g, ≤180m 2 / g or ≦170m 2 The particle additive comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a particulate additive material having a BET specific area of ​​0.15 g / g, as measured in accordance with ISO 9277 standard for calculating the specific surface area of ​​solids. The at least one further particulate loading substance has a mean diameter and / or median (D 50 ) diameter. 50 ) refers to the particle size at which 50% of the sample has a smaller size and 50% of the sample has a larger size. 50 ) and average particle size can be determined by laser diffraction methods, for example using a Horiba LA 300 instrument. The sample can be de-agglomerated, for example using ultrasonic vibrations for 2 minutes, before measurement. The at least one further particulate additive material can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of silica particles, in particular amorphous silica particles, preferably synthetic amorphous silica particles. The silica particles can be fumed silica, also known as pyrogenic silica, or they can be untreated fumed silica particles. The at least one further particulate loading material may be hydrophilic and / or may include hydrophilic particles.

[0036] The optional filler(s), distinct from the at least one further particulate additive material, can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of almond shell powder, kaolin, and calcium carbonate. The optional filler(s) can constitute ≧2%, ≧5%, ≧10%, ≧15%, ≧20%, or ≧25% and / or ≦50%, ≦40%, ≦35%, or ≦30% by dry weight of the binder composition.

[0037] The binder composition can include additional additive(s) distinct from the optional filler(s) and distinct from at least one additional particulate additive. The additional additive(s) can include one or more additives selected from waxes, pigments, release agents, formaldehyde scavengers (e.g., urea, tannin, quebracho extract, ammonium phosphate, bisulfite), water repellents, silanes, silicones, lignin, lignosulfonates, and non-carbohydrate polyhydroxy components selected from glycerol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, polyvinyl alcohol, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, fully hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, or mixtures thereof. Such additional additives are generally not reactants of the binder composition, i.e., they do not crosslink with the at least one reducing sugar and / or at least one nitrogen-containing reactant (or their reaction products) as part of the curing of the binder composition.

[0038] The binder composition can be applied to loose materials, such as woody materials, in liquid form, particularly in the form of an aqueous composition, including, for example, an aqueous solution and / or dispersion, where the dry weight of the aqueous binder composition constitutes ≧40 wt%, ≧45 wt%, ≧50 wt%, ≧55 wt%, ≧60 wt%, or ≧70 wt%, and / or ≦95 wt%, ≦90 wt%, ≦85 wt%, or ≦80 wt% of the total weight of the aqueous binder composition. Alternatively, the binder composition can be applied to loose materials, such as woody materials, in solid form, for example, as a powder or particles. The binder composition can be applied by spraying, which is particularly suitable for producing wood particle boards. The binder composition can be applied to woody particles by passing the woody particles through a spray of the binder composition or by spraying the binder composition over the woody particles, for example, while the woody particles are being mixed. Preferably, the wood particles are mixed after application of the binder composition, for example by rolling, in particular in a mixer or bunker. The binder composition can be applied, for example, as a continuous or discontinuous layer, for example by spreading it as a binder backing layer. This is particularly suitable for the production of plywood.

[0039] In particular, the wood board once cured may comprise at least 70% by weight, at least 80% by weight, at least 90% by weight or at least 95% by weight of wood material.

[0040] The binder loading, i.e. the amount of binder applied to loosely aggregated material, such as loose wood material, calculated relative to the dry weight of the binder composition applied to the loosely aggregated material relative to the combined weight of i) the dry weight of the loosely aggregated material and ii) the dry weight of the binder composition applied to the loosely aggregated material, may be ≧1.5%, ≧2%, ≧2.5%, ≧3%, ≧5%, ≧7% and / or ≦15%, ≦13%, ≦11%.

[0041] The thickness of the wood board may be ≥5 mm, ≥8 mm, ≥10 mm, or ≥15 mm and / or ≤100 mm, ≤80 mm, ≤60 mm, ≤50 mm, ≤45 mm, or ≤25 mm. Preferred thicknesses are in the range of 10-45 mm or 16-22 mm. The length of the wood board may be ≥1.5 m, ≥2 m, ≥2.5 m, or ≥3 m and / or ≤8 m, ≤6 m, or ≤5 m. The width of the wood board may be ≥0.5 m, ≥1 m, ≥1.2 m, ≥1.5 m, or ≥1.8 m and / or ≤4 m, ≤3 m, or ≤3.5 m. The wood boards may be trimmed and / or cut and / or machined. The wood boards may be stacked and provided as a package containing multiple boards arranged and / or bonded together, for example, to facilitate transportation, and the package may include, for example, a plastic material wrapping film.

[0042] Exposing the loosely laid sheets of resinated wood material to heat and pressure to cure the binder composition and form a wood board from the loosely laid sheets of resinated wood can include compressing the loosely laid sheets of resinated wood material between heated belts or plates, for example in a heated press, at a pressure of, for example, ≥20 bar, ≥25 bar, or ≥30 bar and / or ≤80 bar, ≤75 bar, ≤70 bar, or ≤65 bar to obtain a cured wood board. The temperature of the heated belts or plates can be ≥100°C, ≥110°C, or ≥120°C and / or ≤280°C, ≤260°C, ≤240°C, ≤220°C, or ≤200°C. The compression modulus, i.e., the time it takes to expose a loosely laid sheet of resin-treated wood material to heat and pressure in a press to cure the binder composition and form a wood board, expressed in seconds per mm of compressed wood board thickness, may be ≧2 s / mm, ≧3 s / mm, ≧4 s / mm or ≧5 s / mm and / or ≦10 s / mm, ≦9 s / mm, ≦8 s / mm or ≦7 s / mm.

[0043] During compression and / or heating and / or hardening of the wood board, the internal temperature of the wood board, especially the temperature at the center of the board in the thickness direction of the board, a) ≥ 90°C, ≥ 100°C, ≥ 110°C, ≥ 115°C, ≥ 120°C, ≥ 130°C or ≥ 140°C, and / or b) ≦200℃, ≦180℃, ≦170℃ or ≦160℃ The temperature can be raised to . The temperature of the surface layer(s) of the wood board is a) ≥ 120°C, ≥ 130°C or ≥ 140°C, and / or b) ≦260℃, ≦220℃ or ≦200℃ The temperature can be raised to .

[0044] The method for producing wood boards according to the present invention allows for a hardening rate at least equivalent to that obtained with a comparable binder system. The shear strength values ​​of wood boards, particularly plywood, produced using the binder composition of the present invention are improved compared to those obtained with a comparable binder system. Penetration, which may occur in some systems due to discoloration of the surface wood veneer caused by the binder composition's infiltration, for example into plywood, is reduced, particularly inhibited, or substantially inhibited compared to the penetration obtained with a comparable binder system. The improved properties of the binder composition of the present invention are believed to be due to the use of at least one additional particulate additive material.

[0045] Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the at least one additional particulate additive can act as an agent that reduces or partially inhibits migration of the binder composition. It is believed that the reduction or partial inhibition of migration of the binder composition within loosely aggregated materials, such as within the cellulose materials of wood-based materials, allows an effective amount or concentration of the binder composition to be maintained without dispersing the binder composition within the cellulose materials, effectively binding the wood-based materials together and increasing bond strength. Such reduction or partial inhibition of migration of the binder composition within the wood-based materials, i.e., within the cellulose materials, allows for the reduction, particularly suppression, of undesirable penetration in plywood. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the at least one additional particulate additive does not provide its effect simply by modifying viscosity, since no improvement in bond strength or penetration was observed when a filler was used without the at least one additional particulate additive to provide an equivalent viscosity. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the at least one further particulate additive may act at least in part as a blocker agent that can block the pores of the wood material and may also partially inhibit binder migration within the wood material, although again, this is not believed to be the only mechanism. Without being bound by any theory, it is believed that the at least one further particulate additive, in particular the hydrophilic fumed silica, may reduce migration of the binder composition by forming hydrogen bonds with the polymer binder, in particular between silanol groups on the surface of the hydrophilic fumed silica and the polymer binder, in particular with oxygen present with the sugar-based binder composition, providing a more compact structure for the binder composition. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows plywood made with a control binder composition and a plywood made with a binder composition containing fumed silica, each after tapered sanding to make binder migration visible. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the plywood piece shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a micrograph of the glue line of a tapered sanded plywood board made with a control binder composition. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a micrograph of the bond line of a tapered sanded plywood board made with a binder composition containing fumed silica. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a micrograph of the interface between the cellulosic material and the hardened binder for plywood made with a binder composition containing fumed silica. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a photograph of the cured binder obtained after 2 hours of curing for the control binder composition and the binder composition containing fumed silica. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a photograph of one drop of the aqueous control binder composition and one drop of the aqueous binder composition containing fumed silica on a poplar plywood face veneer after two hours. [Example]

[0047] Example 1 Examples A1 and A2 are binder compositions according to the invention, which contain, as a further particulate additive, fumed silica (130-170 m 2The binder compositions comprise silicon (IV) oxide (manufactured by Alfa Aesar) having a surface area of ​​between 1000 and 10000 s / g and an average particle size of 12 nm. Examples C1 and C2 are control binder compositions. The proportions of the various components are given in weight percent based on the total aqueous weight of the sugar-based binder composition, as shown in Table 1. For each type of nitrogen-containing reactant, the proportion of filler and the type of filler used were adjusted as needed to obtain binder compositions with and without fumed silica having similar viscosities. [Table 1] [Table 2] Each of the binder compositions was prepared by combining the nitrogen-containing component and the reducing sugar reactant in water in the proportions shown in Table 2 to obtain a solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants. Optional fillers (herein, almond shell powder, kaolin, and calcium carbonate) and additional specific additives, fumed silica, were mixed with the aqueous solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants in the proportions set forth in Table 1 above. Each binder composition was then used to manufacture five-ply plywood panels having the parameters set forth in Table 3. [Table 3] Shear strength was measured according to ASTM D906-98 (2004). Two 12.9 cm horizontal strips were cut from each fabricated plywood panel. Each strip was then routed on both sides to a specified depth to provide the necessary notches for testing. Twelve 2.5 cm specimens were cut from each of these strips. The specimens were then submerged in water at 20±3°C for 24 hours. The specimens were then immediately placed in a testometric machine to measure shear strength (pulled closed (compression) shear strength as defined in the ASTM D906-98 standard). The median shear strength results are shown in Table 4 below. [Table 4] The results show that the use of binder compositions A1 and A2 containing fumed silica results in better shear strength (tension (compression) in the direction of crack closure) compared to the use of binder compositions C1 and C2 which do not contain fumed silica. No soak-through was observed for the plywood made with binder compositions A1 and A2.

[0048] Example 2 Binder Migration To evaluate binder migration, five-ply plywood panels having the panel parameters shown in Table 3 were prepared using binder compositions A1 and C1 shown in Tables 1 and 2. The fumed silica used was the fumed silica defined in Example 1.

[0049] Binder migration was evaluated according to the following protocol. One of the major surfaces of each piece of plywood was sanded at a gradient from one side of the plywood to the other, breaking into the glue line near the deepest point to create a sanding gradient from the surface veneer to the glue line and interior veneer. The back side of the panel was lightly sanded to smooth out any local variations in wood thickness. This provided an outline of the binder penetration across the panel piece. Next, a point on each side of the panel (avoiding the central third) was selected and marked where the distance between the glue line at that point and any visible surface penetration was longest. The thickness at this point was then measured to determine the maximum observable thickness through which the binder had propagated. The difference in these thicknesses was compared to the corresponding thickness in the glue line, which is the distance the binder is believed to have migrated. This distance was used for comparison to assess the penetration performance of various binder compositions. The measurements were performed on eight samples. 1 and 2 show a) the plywood on the left made with control binder composition C1, and b) the plywood on the right made with binder composition A1 containing fumed silica, after sanding. The median binder migration results are shown in Table 5 below. [Table 5] The results show that less binder migration was observed with binder composition A1 containing fumed silica compared to binder composition C1 which did not contain fumed silica.

[0050] Example 3 Tapered polishing - Micrograph Photographs of the tapered sanded plywood produced in Example 2 are presented in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The photographs were taken using a microscope at approximately 100x magnification. FIG. 3 shows the glue line of a plywood board made with the control binder composition C1. FIG. 4 shows the adhesive bond of plywood made with binder composition A1. FIG. 5 shows the interface between the cellulosic material and the hardened binder for plywood made with binder composition A1. As can be seen from Figure 3, binder composition C1 appears to have at least partially penetrated the cellulosic material and / or significantly migrated within the plywood, and therefore, in the actual adhesive bond, the amount of binder "bonded" to the cellulosic material appears to be reduced. By comparison, in Figure 4, much less cellulosic material is observed because the binder composition did not penetrate or migrate into the cellulosic material; therefore, the majority of the applied binder composition remains present in the actual adhesive layer and is therefore available to bond together the cellulosic material of adjacent plies of plywood. As can be seen from Figure 5, at the interface between the cellulosic material and the hardened binder, the binder composition was not substantially absorbed into the cellulosic material.

[0051] Example 4 Spreading of the binder composition Example A4 is a binder composition according to the present invention, which contains fumed silica (130-170 m 2 The binder compositions comprise silicon (IV) oxide (Alfa Aesar) having a surface area of ​​between 0.15 and 0.25 μg / g and an average primary particle size of 12 nm. Example C4 is a control binder composition. The proportions of the various components are given in weight percent based on the total weight of the sugar-based aqueous binder composition, as shown in Table 6. The proportion of filler and the type of filler used were adjusted as needed to obtain binder compositions with similar viscosities. [Table 6] [Table 7] Each of the binder compositions was prepared by combining the nitrogen-containing component and reducing sugar reactant in water in the proportions shown in Table 7 to obtain a solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants. Optional fillers (herein, almond shell powder, kaolin, and calcium carbonate) and fumed silica were mixed with the aqueous solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants in the proportions listed in Table 6. A mass of each of binder compositions C4 and A4 was applied to a metal tray and placed in an oven at 140°C for two hours. Figure 6 shows photographs of the cured binder C4 (shown on the left) and the cured binder A4 (shown on the right) obtained after the binder compositions had been cured in the oven for two hours. As can be seen from the photographs, the cured binder composition A4 containing fumed silica is more "compacted" than the cured binder composition C4. Many "pores" with the appearance of air bubbles are visible in the cured binder composition C4, which is thought to explain the greater spread of binder composition C4. Figure 7 shows photographs of a drop of each of aqueous binder compositions A4 (shown on the left) and C4 (shown on the right) applied to a veneer of poplar plywood. The photograph was taken two hours after the drop was deposited on the wood. As can be seen from the photograph, the contact angles of the drops of the two binder compositions are clearly different. The drop of aqueous binder composition C4 has already begun to penetrate the wood, while the drop of aqueous binder composition A4 has not yet changed.

[0052] Example 5 Binder Migration Example A5 is a binder composition according to the present invention, which has a viscosity of 130 to 170 m 2 / g) and Example A6 is a binder composition according to the invention, which comprises fumed silica (silicon (IV) oxide from Alfa Aesar, average primary particle size of 12 nm) having a surface area of ​​between 175 and 225 m 2The binder composition contained fumed silica (CAB-O-SIL® M5 manufactured by Cabot) having a surface area of ​​between 0.15 and 0.25 g / g. Example C5 is a control binder composition. The proportions of the various components are given in weight percent based on the total weight of the aqueous sugar-based binder composition, as shown in Table 8. [Table 8] [Table 9] Each of the binder compositions was prepared by combining the nitrogen-containing component and the reducing sugar reactant in water in the proportions shown in Table 9 to obtain a solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants. The optional filler (herein, kaolin) and fumed silica were mixed with the aqueous solution / dispersion of polymerizable reactants in the proportions listed in Table 8. Each binder composition was then used to manufacture five-ply plywood panels having the parameters listed in Table 10. [Table 10] Binder migration was evaluated according to the protocol defined in Example 2. The median binder migration results are shown in Table 11 below. [Table 11] The results show that less binder migration was observed with binder compositions A5 and A6, which contained fumed silica, compared to binder composition C5, which did not contain fumed silica. Less binder migration was observed with binder composition A5 than with binder composition A6.

Claims

1. A method for producing a wood board, comprising: - applying a binder composition in the form of an aqueous solution to relax the wood material to provide a resinated loose wood material; - arranging said resinated wood material as a loosely laid sheet of resinated wood material; - subjecting said loosely laid sheets of resinized wood material to heat and pressure to cure said binder composition and form said wood board from said loosely laid sheets of resinized wood; Including, The binder composition comprises: - polymerizable reactants, at least 50% by dry weight of said polymerizable reactants comprising reactants selected from: i) one or more reducing sugar reactants; ii) one or more reactants that under curing conditions produce one or more reducing sugar reactants; iii) one or more curable reaction products of one or more reducing sugar reactants; iv) reactants that react with said one or more reducing sugar reactants under curing conditions; and v) combinations of the foregoing reactants; at least one particulate additive material, the particulate additive material comprising fumed silica particles; The method of claim 1, wherein the binder composition is a sugar-based binder composition comprising:

2. the polymerizable reactant comprises one or more Maillard reactants; - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the one or more curable reaction products of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and one or more nitrogen-containing reactants The method of claim 1 , comprising:

3. The at least one particulate additive material is ≧50 m ２ 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate additive has a BET specific area of ​​0.15 to 0.25g / g.

4. The at least one particulate additive material is ≧120 m ２ 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the particulate additive has a BET specific area of ​​0.15 wt.

5. The at least one particulate additive material has a particle size of ≦600 m ２ 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the SiO2 has a BET specific area of ​​0.15 to 0.25g / g.

6. The at least one particulate additive material has a particle size of ≦250 m ２ The method of claim 5, wherein the SiO2 has a BET specific area of ​​0.15 to 0.25 g / g.

7. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one particulate additive is a particulate additive having an average primary particle size of ≧5 nm and ≦100 nm.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one particulate additive is a particulate additive having an average primary particle size of ≧10 nm and ≦20 nm.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one particulate additive material comprises untreated fumed silica.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one particulate additive substance comprises hydrophilic particles.

11. the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 1 wt % by dry weight of said sugar-based binder composition of said at least one particulate additive material; and / or b) said at least one particulate additive material in an amount of 15 wt. % or less of said sugar-based binder composition by dry weight; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising:

12. the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 5 wt % by dry weight of said sugar-based binder composition of said at least one particulate additive material; and / or b) said at least one particulate additive material in an amount of 10 wt. % or less of said sugar-based binder composition by dry weight; The method of claim 11 , comprising:

13. 13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one reducing sugar reactant is selected from the group consisting of xylose, dextrose, fructose, and combinations thereof.

14. 14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the polymerizable reactants comprise at least one reducing sugar reactant and at least one nitrogen-containing reactant.

15. 15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the polymerizable reactants comprise one or more curable reaction products of at least one reducing sugar reactant and at least one nitrogen-containing reactant.

16. 16. The method of any one of claims 2 to 15, wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant comprises one or more polyprimary polyamines selected from the group consisting of diprimary diamines, one or more triprimary triamines, and combinations thereof.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant comprises one or more polyprimary polyamines selected from the group consisting of 1,6-diaminohexane, 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine, and combinations thereof.

18. the polymerizable reactant comprises one or more Maillard reactants; - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the one or more curable reaction products of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and one or more nitrogen-containing reactants Including, the one or more reducing sugar reactants are selected from the group consisting of xylose, dextrose, fructose, and combinations thereof; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. the polymerizable reactant comprises one or more Maillard reactants; - the one or more reducing sugar reactants and / or the one or more curable reaction products of the one or more reducing sugar reactants, and one or more nitrogen-containing reactants Including, the one or more nitrogen-containing reactants are selected from the group consisting of 1,6-diaminohexane, 4-(aminomethyl)-1,8-octanediamine, and combinations thereof; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. 20. The method of any one of claims 2 to 19, wherein the polymerizable reactants comprise between 60 wt% and 95 wt% of the at least one reducing sugar reactant and between 5 wt% and 40 wt% of the at least one nitrogen-containing reactant, based on the total dry weight of the polymerizable reactants.

21. the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 40 wt % of said polymerizable reactant, based on the total dry weight of said binder composition; and / or b) less than 99 wt % of said polymerizable reactants, based on the total dry weight of said binder composition The method of any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising:

22. the sugar-based binder composition comprising: a) at least 55 wt % of said polymerizable reactant, based on the total dry weight of said binder composition; and / or b) less than 70 wt % of said polymerizable reactants, based on the total dry weight of said binder composition 22. The method of claim 21, comprising:

23. 23. The method of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the sugar-based binder composition further comprises one or more fillers selected from the group consisting of almond shell powder, kaolin, calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof.

24. The method described in claim 23, wherein the sugar-based binder composition comprises between 15 wt% and 35 wt% of the one or more fillers based on the total dry weight of the binder composition.

25. 25. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder composition is applied to the loose wood material in the form of an aqueous solution containing 60 to 80 wt% solids, based on the total weight of the aqueous binder composition.

26. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the wood board comprises at least 90% by weight of wood material.

27. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the wood board is selected from the group consisting of plywood, particle board, oriented strand board, and fiberboard.

28. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the wood board is selected from the group consisting of P4 particle board, hardboard, medium board, softboard and medium density fiberboard.

29. - the wood board is a plywood comprising a stack of individual veneers, - said loose wood material constitutes one or more of said individual veneers; - the resinated wood material constitutes one or more individual resinated veneers, - the step of arranging the resinated wood material as a sheet of loosely laid resinated wood material comprises arranging the resinated veneers as a stack, wherein the grain direction in adjacent veneers is offset.

28. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

30. - the wood board is a wood particle board, - the loose woody matter comprises woody particles; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

31. 30. The use of said at least one particulate additive material in the method of making plywood of claim 29 to reduce penetration of said binder composition into said veneer during said curing.

32. 31. Use of said at least one particulate additive material in a method for making a wood particle board according to claim 30, to reduce the susceptibility of said wood particle board to swelling when immersed in water.

33. 1. A method of making plywood comprising a stack of individual veneers, comprising: The method comprises: - applying a binder composition in the form of an aqueous solution to one or more of said individual veneers to provide one or more individual resin-coated veneers; - arranging said one or more individual resin-coated veneers in a stack of individual veneers, wherein the grain orientation in adjacent veneers is offset at right angles; - subjecting the stack to heat and pressure to cure the binder composition and form the plywood; Including, The binder composition comprises: - polymerizable reactants, at least 50% by dry weight of said polymerizable reactants comprising reactants selected from: i) one or more reducing sugar reactants; ii) one or more reactants that under curing conditions produce one or more reducing sugar reactants; iii) one or more curable reaction products of one or more reducing sugar reactants; iv) reactants that react with said one or more reducing sugar reactants under curing conditions; and v) combinations of the foregoing reactants; at least one particulate additive material, the particulate additive material comprising fumed silica particles; The method of claim 1, wherein the binder composition is a sugar-based binder composition comprising:

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