For Superwood our aim is to dispense with formaldehyde. A toxic component that is part of wood adhesives in 95 %.
We develop an adhesive that is based on casein to replace this harmful substance. It is a pollutant-free binder made from milk proteins. Casein glue has been used in ancient times for boatbuilding and furniture. It was forgotten and was never used in a larger industrial context. We gain it from waste milk.
Milk is a product that has to be disposed of quickly due to strict food regulations. Two million litres per year in Germany have to be thrown away. The milk proteins extracted from these residues can be used to produce a natural adhesive. Thus, despite the origin from agriculture, there is no food competition.
Casein produces very strong, high molecular weight compounds and, compared to other organic glues, has a higher resistance to moisture. In the laboratories of the Fraunhofer Institute WKI, the adhesive is constantly being further developed to increase the cross-linking ability of the proteins and at the same time improve processing in the production process.
The material undergoes various quality tests. It exceeds the highest stability standards for MDF according to DIN. We fine tune the process and improve the properties of the adhesive to be able to use it without coatings. An important fact when it comes to recycling.