[Objective]This paper aimed at studying the liquefaction technology of chestnut shells [Method]Effects on chestnut shells liquefaction of six catalysts were studied,which were sodium hydroxide,sodium carbonate,acetic acid（99.5%）,phosphoric acid（85%）,hydrochloric acid（37%）,sulfuric acid（98%）.The research had analyzed the liquefaction effects of chestnut shells in presence of phenol and at liquefaction temperatures of 130,150 and 170 ℃,in which the proportion of added quantities of concentrated sulfuric acid,phosphoric acid,concentrated hydrochloric acid to phenol were 1%-6%.Properties of phenolic resin made from formaldehyde and phenol-liquefied products of chestnut shells catalyzed by concentrated sulfuric acid with an added amount of 4% at 150 ℃（WPF）were analyzed and compared with traditional phenolic formaldehyde resin（PF）.[Result]Acid catalysts were better than alkaline ones in the phenol-liquefaction of chestnut shells,and the liquefaction ratio increased with the increasing of acidic intensity.The liquefaction ratio had attained the maximum as 92.11 % when catalyzed by concentrated sulfuric acid with an added amount of 4% at 150 ℃.The phenolic resin made from the liquefied products of chestnut shells was basically in accordance with the standard of GB/T 14732-93 when the mass ratio of chestnut shells powders to phenol was 1∶3.[Conclusion]It was possible to produce phenolic resin with liquefied chestnut shells.
