Development and pilot production of sustainable bio binder systems for wood based panels
The overall objective of the SusBind project is to produce and test, in an industrially relevant environment (TRL5), bio-based binders as alternative to formaldehyde based binder currently used in the production of wood-based panel board (abbreviated as wood board). A lot has been done on this subject, but so far a bio-based binder able to compete at industrial scale with incumbent chemicals, does not exist. The reason to believe on the success of this project is backed: on the selection of the partners, which involves actors across the whole supply chain, and their extensive technological background developed during the last years.

The SusBind project intends to build on these success factors by:
i. Selecting more adequate feedstocks from existing European Bio-refineries;
ii. Applying new and greener conversion technologies for the production of binders and intermediates, including novel epoxidizing enzymes (peroxygenases) developed in the project IndOx (FP7-KBBE; www.indoxproject.eu );
iii. Producing and validating these new bio-based binders with leading wood board manufacturers for two product types: P2 Particle Board (PB) and Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) and;
iv. Involving the world leading brand owner, producer and retailer of mass market furniture.

The SusBind resulting binder system will prove better performance in PB and MDF in terms of  50 - 75% reduction of formaldehyde emissions than current fossil- and formaldehyde-based wood boards. The active participation of industry and a consumer brand owner secures post-project scale up into existing plants. On the basis of cost analyses performed, an economically viable and better performing precursor will increase the marketability of bio-based furniture products concerned. The results of SusBind will not only benefit consumer health and help mitigate climate change, but also strengthen the European furniture industry by providing a cost efficient, bio-based alternative to formaldehyde-based binders.