Urea–formaldehyde (UF) resins are the most widely used adhesives in the
manufacture of wood-based panels. The production of particleboards (PB) and
medium density fiberboards (MDF) consumes a large fraction of UF resins produced
worldwide. The industrial success of these resins is associated with their high
reactivity, excellent adhesion to wood and low price (Dunky 1998). However, their
big disadvantage is formaldehyde emission due to hydrolysis of weak chemical
bonds during board production and lifetime use.