A Strong and Water-Retaining Biomass Adhesive Inspired by Tofu

Jiawei Shao, Qiumei Jing, Xinyi Li, Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, Shuaicheng Jiang, Xuehua Zhang, Shengbo Ge*, Ben Bin Xu*, Jianzhang Li*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The poor mechanical strength and low water retention of biomass adhesives present significant challenges when substituting petrochemical adhesives in practical applications. Inspired by the colloidal gel structure in Tofu, we report the development of a high-performance protein-based adhesive derived from soybean meal (SM) oxidized by glucose oxidase (GOx) and calcium sulfate oligomer (CSO). The catalytic oxidation of sugars in SM by GOx produces active carboxyl groups, increasing active sites for calcium bridge (sugar-protein) formation in CSO. Concurrently, GOx disrupts the internal electrostatic equilibrium of SM, promoting the formation of an acid-induced colloidal gel-like network structure. This Tofu-like structures can effectively minimize water evaporation and significantly enhance the interfacial adhesion. Plywood bonded with the modified adhesive demonstrates a 129% increase in wet strength compared to unmodified counterparts. Additionally, the water loss rate of modified adhesive is reduced by 30.66% at 30 minutes, while maintaining 70.37% of its initial wet strength. This enzymatically mediated organic-inorganic hybrid structure represents a promising strategy for future development of sustainable biomass adhesives.
Original languageEnglish
JournalAdvanced Functional Materials
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 27 Jan 2025

Keywords

  • Soy meal adhesive
  • Enzymatic oxidation
  • Bionic strategy
  • Strong
  • Water retention

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