Lowering Embodied Carbon from the Built Environment: a novel bio-based adhesive for sustainable construction materials

Overview and problem statement: Petrochemical adhesives are used vastly in the construction industry. Adhesives such as Urea-Formaldehyde are carcinogenic compounds and are known to be harmful both to people and the planet. They are responsible for large emissions, in the range of 2.04 kgCO2-eq./kg. As an example, 6% of Ikea’s CO2 emissions are derived from the use of chemical resins in wood products. We are developing a novel bio-based adhesives initially targeting engineered wood products used in the construction industry to mitigate emissions from materials used in the built environment. Value proposition: We hold an exclusive license from the USDA for a novel bio-based adhesives that is safe and free from harmful petrochemicals off gassing compounds. Removing petrochemical adhesives from wood products results in a sustainable, lowering CO2 emissions from wood and increased LEED credits. We use an abundant and cheap agriculture byproduct making our adhesive cost competitive. Our product performance is comparable to existing chemical adhesives used in the industry. The adhesive technology is adaptable to a variety of applications, from hardwood plywood to particle board and other construction materials. Technology Readiness: Our patented technology is focused on a protein engineering approach to extract and optimize proteins from DDGS, a byproduct of corn ethanol production widely available globally. Defatted proteins are formulated to be optimized for adhesion performance and industrial requirements. With a protein content of 30%, DDGS are an ideal biomaterial for developing new cost-effective adhesive. Thus far, we have identified optimal composite materials formulation parameters that are comparable to industry standards. Moreover, we assessed compatibility of the biomaterial with industry performance metrics, such as drying processes, surface changes, and chemical and physical characterization. Commercialization plan: We are advancing R&D to optimize adhesion properties of our bio-adhesive in partnership with the USDA and the department of wood science at Mississippi State University, a leading R&D center specialized in wood engineering. We also have identified key industrial partners in the construction industry to test the technology under field conditions (e.g., West Fraser, Columbia Forestry Products, Timber Products). We are finalizing partnerships agreement aimed at developing a dedicated product that can be used at scale. Agreements will include funding for R&D, milestones, and royalty payment, and purchasing agreements against exclusivity in limited field of use. Team: We assembled a technical team composed of scientists, engineers, and technical collaborators with expertise in engineering, biopolymer chemistry and wood-science to advance this technology to market.