At the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, the wood adhesive research team from BFU's College of Materials Science, led by Professors Gao Qiang and Li Jianzhang in collaboration with Pansen New Materials Co., Ltd., received the "Gold Medal with the Congratulations of the Jury", the highest honor at the event. This award is selected from among gold medal winners and requires unanimous approval by the jury, representing only about 3 percent of all entries.

The winning project, titled "A Formaldehyde-Free Plant Protein Adhesive as well as Production and Application of Its Engineered Wood Panel Products", breaks through traditional theories of crosslinking enhancement of natural polymers. It proposes a new method of controlled degradation and reconstruction of plant protein molecules for strong adhesion, innovates a three-dimensional topological bonding enhancement mechanism, and develops new techniques such as multiphase multi-bond toughening and ambient inorganic hybridization. These innovations have resulted in a formaldehyde-free plant protein adhesive preparation and application system, advancing the development of bio-based adhesives and engineered wood products while contributing to indoor environmental safety and the national "Healthy China" strategy. 

The Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, jointly organized by the Swiss Federal Government, the Canton of Geneva, and the World Intellectual Property Organization, is widely recognized as the longest-running and largest event of its kind, often called the "Olympics of inventions". The 51st edition, held from March 11 to 15, 2026, featured over 1,000 projects from 35 countries. The Chinese delegation won 90 gold medals, 95 silver medals, and 52 bronze medals.  

Written by Gao Qiang
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang