Manasseh Agbedam: Lignin-Based Two-Component Polyurethane Adhesive for Mass Timber Application

Manasseh Agbedam shares results of his work under Dr. Mojgan Nejad’s developing and testing mass timber adhesives and coatings made from lignin.

MSU PhD Student, Manasseh Agbedam, standing at a podium with a big screen behind him.

Polyurethane adhesives play a crucial role in construction, but their production comes at a significant environmental cost; over 700,000 metric tons of CO₂ are released annually due to the use of 210,000 tons of conventional polyols.

During the Michigan Mass Timber Update 2024, Manasseh Tetteh Agbedam, a PhD student in the MSU Department of Forestry, highlighted the potential of lignin—a byproduct of the forest products and agricultural industries—as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based components of adhesives currently used in commercial mass timber products.

Lignin, a biodegradable, less carbon-intensive option, is even showing better adhesion and has the potential to be a significantly less expensive alternative to what manufacturers are currently using.

Learn more about this work by visiting Dr. Mojgan Nejad’s research lab page here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/greenbioproducts/.

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