Optimizing ZIF-8 integration in particleboards: Simultaneous mitigation of formaldehyde and priority VOCs emissions with material performance enhancement

With deteriorating indoor air quality posing global health concerns, sustainable mitigation of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from wood composites has become imperative. The integration of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) into particleboards was investigated to address the critical challenge of VOCs emissions while maintaining industrially viable material performance. A low-emission composite particleboard was engineered by incorporating ZIF-8 to modulate gas diffusion pathways and mass transfer behavior. The results showed that ZIF-8's hierarchical porosity and Zn^2 + -mediated capture sites achieved a reduction in formaldehyde and in total VOCs while suppressing BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) through hydrophobic partitioning and π - π stacking with imidazole ligands. Kinetic analyses revealed pore diffusion-limited pseudo-second-order adsorption, with recyclability tests demonstrating high performance retention after 6 cycles. Though Zn²⁺-catalyzed resin hydrolysis and macroporosity shifts reduced bond strength and increased thickness swelling, the mechanical properties still exceeded furniture-grade standards.