Abstract: A novolak-type phenolic resin from phenolated wood and formaldehyde (PWF) was prepared under acidic condition. The effects of various reaction factors on product yield and softening point, including molar ratio, pH value, reaction temperature and reaction time, have been investigated by orthogonal test. The structures of PWF and traditional novolak-type phenolic resin (PF) were characterized by GPC, FT-IR and NMR. The results showed that the yield of PWF was notably affected by pH value and reaction temperature, and the softening point was significantly affected by charge ratio of formaldehyde to phenol. At molar ratio of n(phenol in phenolated wood):n(formaldehyde )1:0.75, reacted, 105℃ for 150min under the actual pH value of phenolated wood, the product yield of 124% and the softening point of 110℃ for PWF were attained. The structure of PWF was similar with that of PF. The phenolic nuclei were linked by a methylene linkage at its ortho-para and para-para positions to a phenolic hydroxyl group. On the other hand, PWF contained fragments of liquefied wood, while the relative molecular mass (M_r) was lower and its distribution was narrower than those of PF.

Key words: wood, liquefaction, novolak-type resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin