Lignosulfonates
Properties
Lignosulfonates are the most important pulping byproducts of the sulfite pulping process. They are used as additives in many products such as oil well drilling mud (rheology modifier), concretes (strength aid, superplasticizer, retarder), drywalls (water reducing agent), agricultural chemicals, and animal feed (binder). Lignosulfonates are also used as dispersant agents (dyes), complexing agents and emulsifying agents. One of the most important applications of lignosulfonates is the production of oriented strand, fiber, and particle boards. They are added as extenders to many wood glues such as phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, resorcinol-formaldehyde and tanin-formaldehyde resins.