Process for particleboard manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8951452-B2
Application number	US-201213651017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2012
Priority date	Oct 13, 2011
Publication date	Feb 10, 2015
Grant date	Feb 10, 2015

Abstract

Improved particleboard and methods for fabricating improved particleboard (e.g., natural fiber/material-based particleboard) are disclosed. More particularly, the present disclosure provides systems/methods for fabricating particleboard (e.g., formaldehyde-free particleboard) utilizing natural fibers/materials (e.g., lignocellulosic materials), wherein the particleboard has improved performance characteristics and/or mechanical properties. Methods for fabricating fiber-reinforced biocomposites (e.g., natural fiber-reinforced wheat gluten biocomposites) are disclosed. For example, systems/methods for fabricating particleboard from lignocellulosic materials (e.g., coconut materials), along with a binder material (e.g., wheat gluten), are provided. In general, the fiber or lignocellulosic material is treated with sodium hydroxide and/or a silane coupling agent as an adhesion promoter to enhance interfacial adhesion between the fiber and the binder. For example, (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate (MISO) (a masked isocyanate functional silane) was utilized to improve interfacial adhesion between the binder and the natural fibers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a particleboard comprising:
a) soaking a portion of a lignocellulosic material in an alkali solution;
b) drying the lignocellulosic material after soaking;
c) soaking a portion of the lignocellulosic material in a masked isocyanate functional silane solution;
d) drying the lignocellulosic material after soaking; and
e) molding the lignocellulosic material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material is derived from natural fibers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to step a), the lignocellulosic material is dried to a moisture content of from about 3% to about 4.5%.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step a) is performed by soaking the lignocellulosic material in about a 5% w/v alkali solution for about 4 hours at about room temperature.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silane solution includes (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silane solution is prepared by dissolving (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate in about a 50/50 v/v solution of water and acetone to form about 0.1 volume percent silane in the solution.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein step e) is performed by hot-press molding or compression molding the lignocellulosic material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step e) is performed by compression molding the lignocellulosic material at from about 150° C. to about 160° C. for about 7 to 20 minutes at from about 900 lb f to about 40,000 lb f .

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a binder material is added to the lignocellulosic material after step d) and prior to step e).

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the binder material is selected from the group consisting of wheat gluten, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and polyurethane.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a coconut coir pith material is added to the lignocellulosic material after step d) and prior to step e).

12. A method for fabricating a particleboard comprising:
a) soaking a lignocellulosic material in a masked isocyanate functional silane solution;
b) drying the lignocellulosic material after soaking; and
c) molding the lignocellulosic material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material is derived from natural fibers.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein prior to step a), the lignocellulosic material is dried to a moisture content of from about 3% to about 4.5%.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silane solution is prepared by dissolving (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate in about a 50/50 v/v solution of water and acetone.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silane solution includes (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein step c) is performed by hot-press molding or compression molding the lignocellulosic material.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein a binder material is added to the lignocellulosic material after step b) and prior to step c).

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the binder material is selected from the group consisting of wheat gluten, diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and polyurethane.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein a coconut coir pith material is added to the lignocellulosic material after step b) and prior to step c).

21. A method for fabricating a particleboard comprising:
a) contacting a portion of a lignocellulosic material with a masked isocyanate functional silane; and
b) molding the lignocellulosic material.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material is derived from natural fibers.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the masked isocyanate functional silane includes (3-triethoxysilylpropyl)-t-butylcarbamate.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein before, during or after step a), a binder material is added to the lignocellulosic material prior to step b).

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the masked isocyanate functional silane is contacted with the portion of the lignocellulosic material via liquid spraying.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein step a) includes mixing or blending the masked isocyanate functional silane with the portion of the lignocellulosic material.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the masked isocyanate functional silane is in powder or substantially solid form.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein prior to step a) at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material is soaked in an alkali solution.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein prior to step a) at least a portion of the lignocellulosic material is soaked in an alkali solution.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein step a) further includes mixing or blending a binder material with the portion of the lignocellulosic material.

Assignees

• Univ Connecticut

Inventors

• Parnas Richard
• Asandei Alexandru
• Hemsri Sudsiri
• Dowding Timothy

Classifications

• B29B13/06 Primary

  by drying (B29B13/08 takes precedence {; drying moulded articles or half products B29C37/0092}) · CPC title

• B29K2103/00

  Use of resin-bonded materials as moulding material · CPC title

• B29K2001/00

  Use of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives, e.g. viscose, as moulding material · CPC title

• B05D3/007

  After-treatment · CPC title

• B27N1/00 Primary

  Pretreatment of moulding material · CPC title