Emerging technologies on developing high-performance and environmentally friendly carbohydrate-based adhesives for wood bonding

The adhesive market is predominantly supplied by carcinogenic and environmentally toxic petroleum-based adhesives including formaldehyde and isocyanate. Environmental awareness has led to the development of bio-based adhesives such as lignin, proteins, and carbohydrates to replace the extensive use of petroleum-based adhesives. Carbohydrates or polysaccharides are promising materials because they are inexpensive and abundant in nature. A bibliometric analysis and systematic review were then used to discuss the most recent developments in carbohydrate-based adhesives. Methodi Ordinatio has been applied to gathering data from the Scopus database for the period of 2005–2024. Different types of carbohydrates were examined, including cellulose, hemicellulose, starch, chitosan, and sugars, which have grown significantly since 2014. Although carbohydrates are extensively applied in plywood, pulp and paper, particleboard, and wood composites, they should be modified to improve their properties because of their low water solubility and poor water resistance. Chemical modification, which includes crosslinking, esterification, and oxidation, is the most commonly used method. The development of each type of carbohydrate as a raw material for wood adhesives is thoroughly discussed. Modified carbohydrates should be blended with additives, such as glyoxal, tannin, formic acid, or citric acid, to improve adhesion performance, especially shear strength, water resistance, and curing (in terms of temperature and time). The future development of carbohydrate-based adhesives has been outlined, including material substitutions related to food supply and security issues, carbon footprint, circular economy implementation, and techno-economic analysis.