A Review of Soy-Tannin Gelling for Resins Applications

Abstract

Soy flour (SF), soy protein and soy protein isolates (SPI) have been the focus of increasing research on their application as new materials for a variety of applications, mainly for wood adhesives and other resins. Tannins too have been the focus of increasing research for similar applications. While both materials are classed as non-toxic and have achieved interesting results the majority of the numerous and rather inventive approaches have still relied on some sort of hardeners or cross-linkers to bring either of them or even their combination to achieve acceptable results. The paper after a presentation of the two materials and their characteristics concentrates on the formation of gels, gelling and even hardening in the case of soy-tannin combined resins. The chapter than finishes with details of the formation of resins giving suitable wood adhesive of acceptable performance by the covalent coreaction of soy protein and tannin without any other hardener, thus totally bio-sourced, non-toxic and environment friendly as a base of further advances to expect in future by these two materials combination.