Natural resins
Learning from nature and respecting the environment
During the last decades, environmentally friendly materials have become more widely used as consumers became aware of the consequences associated with the use of petrochemical derived products. By using “green” materials industry moderates the use of fossil resources, reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere and takes the responsibility of using the earth’s resources in a sustainable manner. This improves resource management, air quality, and generally the overall performance and efficiency of the planet.
Historically tannins, both hydrolyzable and condensed, have been associated with the preservation of hides for leather. In wood adhesives, only condensed tannins form thermosetting polyflavonoid - formaldehyde resins and they have been used as phenolic exterior grade adhesives for woods. The attractiveness of using tannins in wood adhesives is derived from their similar reactivity and cross linking chemistry with formaldehyde as that found for phenol- and resorcinol-formaldehyde systems. Tannins develop a strong linkage with formaldehyde, thus reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Natural plant based resins show a better heat and fire resistance compared to the synthetic resins (phenolic and polyurethane).
Silvateam has developed a range of tannins, mainly extracted from quebracho wood (Schinopsis Balansae and Schinopsis lorentzii), an evergreen tree that grows wild in South America, mainly in Argentina and Paraguay, used for several industrial applications:
- Corrugated cardboard
- Foundry
- Paint and coating
- Wood panelling
Silvateam cooperates with its clients to reduce the use of chemicals, simplify production processes, reduce processing time and improve the quality and yield of finished products while respecting the environment and the people where the companies of the Group are located.