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Thermal insulation and warmth-keeping properties of thick plywood-faced sandwich panels with low-density fiberboard (plywood-faced sandwich, PSW), which were developed as wood-based structural insulation materials for walls and floors, are comprehensively clarified. The properties focused on were thermal conductivity (λ), thermal resistance (R), and thermal diffusivity (D). The results for PSW panels were compared with those for commercial wood-based boards, solid wood, and commercial insulators. The λ values were measured for PSW panels and their core and face elements. As a result, the composite theory of λ was found to be appropriate for PSW composites, because the calculated/experimental λ ratios were approximately 90%. The λ values for PSW panels with densities of 340 kg/m3 (PSW350) and 410kg/m3 (PSW400) were 0.070 and 0.077W/mK, respectively. The R values for PSW350 and PSW400 were 1.4 and 1.2m2K/W, and the D values were 0.00050 and 0.00046m2/h, respectively. Consequently, the PSW provided thermal insulation properties superior to those of the boards and in terms of warmth-keeping properties were greatly advantageous over the insulators. These advantages were due to the moderate densities of PSW panels. The PSW panel with sufficient thickness showed remarkably improved thermal resistance compared with those of the boards.

The search for new value-added uses for oilseed and animal proteins led us to develop protein-based wood adhesives. Low-fat soy and peanut flours and blood meal were hydrolyzed in an alkaline state, and PF-cross-linked protein resins were formulated by reacting the protein hydrolyzates with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) in solid-tosolid ratios ranging from 70% to 50% hydrolyzates and 30% to 50% PF. Physical properties of medium density fiberboard (MDF) bonded with protein-based phenolic resins were compared to those of boards bonded with ureaformaldehyde (UF) and PF resins, and flakeboard bonded with soy protein-based phenolic resin was compared to PF-bonded board. As MDF binders, adhesive properties of protein-based phenolic resins depended upon protein content of proteinacious materials. MDF board bonded with blood-based phenolic resin was comparable to PF-bonded board and met the requirements for exterior MDF. Boards bonded with soy-protein-based phenolic resin met requirements for interior MDF, while peanut-based phenolic failed to meet some of the requirements. Flakeboard bonded with soy-protein-based phenolic resins was inferior to PF-bonded board but outperformed PF-bonded board in accelerated aging tests. Although they exhibit a slow curing rate, the cost effectiveness and superior dimensional stability of protein-based phenolic resins may make them attractive for some uses.

Several wood-based sandwich panels with low-density fiberboard core were developed for structural insulated walls and floors, with different face material, panel thickness, and core density. The elastic moduli with and without shear effect (EL, E0) and shear modulus (Gb) were evaluated in four-point bending. Generally, the stiffer face, thicker panel, and higher core density were advantageous in flexural and shear rigidity for structural use, but the weight control was critical for insulation. Therefore, optimum designs of some virtual sandwich structures were analyzed for bending stiffness in relation to weight for fixed core densities, considering the manufactured-panel designs. As a result, the plywood-faced sandwich panel with a panel thickness of 95 mm (PSW-T100), with insulation performance that had been previously confirmed, was most advantageous at a panel density of 430 kg/m3, showing the highest flexural rigidity (ELI = 13 × 10−6 GNm2) among these panels, where EL, E0, and Gb were 3.5, 5.5, and 0.038 GN/m2, respectively. The panel was found to be closest to the optimum design, which meant that its core and face thickness were optimum for stiffness with minimum density. The panel also provided enough internal bond strength and an excellent dimensional stability. The panel was the most feasible for structural insulation use with the weight-saving structure.

The development of oriented fiberboards made from kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and their suitability as a construction material has been investigated. Three different types of boards consisting of five layers with individual orientations were prepared using a combination of low molecular weight and high molecular weight phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin for impregnation and adhesion purposes. Additional boards with the same structure were prepared using high molecular weight PF resin only. The mechanical properties of the boards have been examined as well as their resistance against fungal decay and termite attack. All kenaf fiberboards showed elevated mechanical properties compared with medium-density fiberboard made from wood fibers, and showed increased decay and termite resistance. Differences in the decay and termite resistance between the board types were caused by the presence of the low molecular weight PF resin for the impregnation of the fibers. No significant difference was found for the mechanical properties. The effect of the PF resin for impregnation was much clearer in fungal decay resistance than for termite resistance; however, fiber orientation had no effect on both decay and termite resistance of the specimens.

Binderless fiberboards with densities of 0.3 and 0.5 g/cm3 were developed from kenaf core material using the conventional dry-manufacturing process. The effects of steam pressure (0.4–0.8 MPa) and cooking time (10–30 min) in the refining process, fiber moisture content (MC) (10%, 30%), and hot-pressing time (3–10 min) on the board properties were investigated. The results showed that kenaf core binderless fiberboards manufactured with high steam pressure and long cooking time during the refining process had high internal bond (IB) strength, low thickness swelling (TS), but low bending strength values. The binderless fiberboards made from 30% MC fibers showed better mechanical and dimensional properties than those from air-dried fibers. Hot-pressing time was found to have little effect on the IB value of the binderless board at the refining conditions of 0.8 MPa/20 min, but longer pressing time resulted in lower TS. At a density of 0.5 g/cm3, binderless fiberboard with the refining conditions of 0.8 MPa/20 min recorded a modulus of rupture (MOR) of 12 MPa, modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 1.7 GPa, IB of 0.43 MPa, and 12% TS under the optimum board manufacturing conditions.

This study investigated the effects of mild steam treatment (0.1 MPa for 2 h) of natural bio-based fibers and orientation (0° and 90°) of those fibers in various fiberboards. Ramie bast, pineapple leaf, and sansevieria fiber bundles were used as materials. The composite fiberboards were prepared using phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. To investigate the effect of mild steam treatment on wettability, contact angles of PF resin to the fiber were measured. The mechanical properties of the boards were examined as well as their dimensional stability. The contact angle data showed that mild steam treatment was effective in improving the wettability of fibers. Unioriented steam-treated boards showed better performance of internal bond (IB), moduli of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE), thickness swelling (TS), and water absorption (WA) than other boards. Unioriented steam-treated sansevieria board with longitudinal fiber direction showed higher average values of MOR (403 MPa), MOE (39.2 GPa), and IB (1.33 MPa) and lower values of TS (5.15%) and WA (8.68%) than other boards. The differences in the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of boards were found mainly due to the differences in the ratios of fiber fraction of the boards to the density of the fiber bundles.

Eccentric joints are commonly used to join particleboard and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) in cabinet furniture construction. Screws and screws with plastic sockets are offered by many manufacturers for these kinds of joints, yet little information is available concerning their withdrawal capacity in these materials. Research reported here indicates that face withdrawal strengths of the screws differ slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer in particleboard and MDF, whereas withdrawal strengths of screws with plastic sockets differ greatly from one manufacturer to another. Furthermore, the withdrawal capacity of the screws was found to correlate with the density of both particleboard and MDF.

Woodceramics (WCS) are new porous carbon materials that have been shown to possess many excellent properties, but the chemical mechanism during pyrolysis has not been reported yet. In order to investigate this process, pyrolysis of medium density fiberboard (MDF) was analyzed by thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) in this study. The results showed that the pyrolysis consisted of three stages up to 700°C. The first stage of the pyrolysis occurred below 240.0°C and was mainly due to moisture evaporation. The second stage between 240.0° and 390.2°C accompanied the main mass loss. The maximum pyrolysis speed (mass loss) was about 3.79% per minute at 313.2°C. This was believed to coincide with the cleavage of ether bridges between the wood material and phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin, and pyrolysis of carbohydrate. At higher temperature, the pyrolysis of PF resin and lignin was the main reason for the mass loss in the third stage. The microcosmic environments of both the MDF and PF resin in the MDF treated with PF resin were different from the untreated MDF and PF resin, so that the temperatures at which their pyrolysis occurred and the quantities of evolved gases were different. During the process of WCS preparation, the rate of temperature increase should be very slow before it reaches 700°C, especially at around 313.2°C, at which point violent pyrolysis occurs. Such temperature control should allow uniform sintering of the sample and should reduce flaws in the product.