Sustainable use of Erythrina poeppigiana in formaldehyde-free plywood: environmental and energy analysis

Uso sustentável da Erythrina poeppigiana em compensado com adesivo sem formaldeído: análise ambiental e energética

Abstract

The study analyzed the technical and environmental feasibility of using Erythrina poeppigiana to produce plywood with different adhesives: phenol-formaldehyde (PF), urea-formaldehyde (UF), and castor oil-based polyurethane (PUA). The physical and mechanical properties of the plywood were evaluated, including apparent density, moisture content, water absorption, thickness swelling, shear resistance, and static bending. Tests proved erythrina’s suitability for non-structural plywood production. The environmental impact of the production process was also evaluated, using embedded energy and CO₂e emissions as indicators. The results showed that plywood produced with PU adhesive had better environmental performance compared to panels with FF and UF adhesives. T1 treatment (PF) had the highest embodied energy, while T2 (UF) had the highest CO₂e emission. Overall, the study suggests that using erythrina to produce plywood can be a viable option for promoting regional socioeconomic development while also being environmentally sustainable and presents an advantage over foreign plywood in terms of environmental performance.

Keywords:
Castor-oil resin; Life cycle assessment - LCEA and CO₂ emissions - LCCO₂A; Environmental performance; Physical and mechanical properties