GB2446935A - Method of manufacturing a structural panel, and structural panel made thereby - Google Patents

Method of manufacturing a structural panel, and structural panel made thereby Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2446935A
GB2446935A GB0802886A GB0802886A GB2446935A GB 2446935 A GB2446935 A GB 2446935A GB 0802886 A GB0802886 A GB 0802886A GB 0802886 A GB0802886 A GB 0802886A GB 2446935 A GB2446935 A GB 2446935A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
resin
timber
chipped
wax
group
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0802886A
Other versions
GB0802886D0 (en
Inventor
David Carvell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ecoboard Ltd
Original Assignee
Ecoboard Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ecoboard Ltd filed Critical Ecoboard Ltd
Publication of GB0802886D0 publication Critical patent/GB0802886D0/en
Publication of GB2446935A publication Critical patent/GB2446935A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08GMACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
    • C08G18/00Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates
    • C08G18/06Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen
    • C08G18/28Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen characterised by the compounds used containing active hydrogen
    • C08G18/40High-molecular-weight compounds
    • C08G18/64Macromolecular compounds not provided for by groups C08G18/42 - C08G18/63
    • C08G18/6492Lignin containing materials; Wood resins; Wood tars; Derivatives thereof
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08KUse of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
    • C08K7/00Use of ingredients characterised by shape
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08GMACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS
    • C08G18/00Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates
    • C08G18/06Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen
    • C08G18/70Polymeric products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen characterised by the isocyanates or isothiocyanates used
    • C08G18/72Polyisocyanates or polyisothiocyanates
    • C08G18/74Polyisocyanates or polyisothiocyanates cyclic
    • C08G18/76Polyisocyanates or polyisothiocyanates cyclic aromatic
    • C08G18/7657Polyisocyanates or polyisothiocyanates cyclic aromatic containing two or more aromatic rings
    • C08G18/7664Polyisocyanates or polyisothiocyanates cyclic aromatic containing two or more aromatic rings containing alkylene polyphenyl groups
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08LCOMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L77/00Compositions of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
    • C08L77/10Polyamides derived from aromatically bound amino and carboxyl groups of amino-carboxylic acids or of polyamines and polycarboxylic acids
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08LCOMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
    • C08L97/00Compositions of lignin-containing materials
    • C08L97/02Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)
  • Chemical And Physical Treatments For Wood And The Like (AREA)

Abstract

A method of making a structural panel comprises the following steps: <SL> <LI> i providing timber material; <LI> ii cutting the timber material into chips <LI> iii sorting the chipped timber material into groups comprising a first group having the approximate size range of 1.25 mm - 3.15 mm and a second group having the approximate size range of 3.15 mm - 5.00 mm; <LI> iii mixing chipped timber material from the first group and the second group in the approximate proportions of 1:3 by weight; <LI> iv adding uncured PMDI resin to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 2% - 4% by weight; <LI> v adding wax to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 0.8% - 2% by weight; <LI> vi mixing the chipped timber, resin and wax together; <LI> vii compressing the mixed chipped timber, resin and wax to a desired panel thickness and a panel density of 700 -750 kg/m3; <LI> viii curing the resin at a temperature of between approximately 190{C and approximately 210 {C for a period of approximately 10-14 seconds for each mm of desired panel thickness, </SL> and also relates to a structural panel made thereby.

Description

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A STRUCTURAL PANEL
AND STRUCTURAL PANEL MADE THEREBY
This invention relates to method of making a structural panel, and to a structural panel made thereby.
Structural panels are used for example in the building and refurbishment of homes, offices and the like. Many structural panels are made of chipboard, oriented strand board (OSB) or other materials. Such panels can be used as flooring (in which case they are typically laid over a concrete base or upon timber beams defining a floor of a building), or they can be used in walling (in which case they are typically secured to beams defining the walls of the building).
The structural panels comprise a mat of material, such as chips of timber in the case of chipboard, which are secured together by an adhesive resin.
Structural panels are in widespread use, in particular because they can be manufactured to have a large area so that relatively few panels are required to cover a large floor area (for example) permitting the large floor area to be covered in a relatively short period of time.
The present invention is directed primarily towards a structural panel of chipboard, and so the description relates almost exclusively to such material.
Chipboard is presentiy produced in two major categories, water resistant and non-water resistant. Non-water resistant chipboard is suitable for most environments except those where moisture is likely to occur, such as the flooring for a bathroom. Water-resistant chipboard is generally more expensive than non-water resistant chipboard, and so is usually used only in those environments where it S required.
Chipboard is made from small chips of timber, the chips having a particle size typically in the range of around 1 mm to around 5 mm. The chips are mixed together with a formaldehyde resin. The mass of chips and resin is squeezed through heated rollers which act (i} to cure the resin, {ii} to produce the desired thickness and width of the panels and (iii} to produce the required panel density (usually around 650 kg/rn3). The extruded length of chipboard is then cut to the desired length and its edges are trimmed and shaped as desired for the finished panel.
If the chipboard is to be made water resistant a quantity of wax is added to the chips and resin mass. Also, a different resin is used, although still based upon formaldehyde.
Chipboard such as that made by the method described above has a major disadvantage in that formaldehyde resins are known to be carcinogenic. As such, their use is banned in Canada, and other countries are understood to be planning is to follow Canada's lead. Unfortunately, the industry has yet to find a suitable resin Which can be used in the above-described method in place of formaldehyde.
The first object of the present invention is therefore to provide a structural panel Which can be made without the use of a formaldehyde resin.
A non-formaldehyde resin which is already available is "PMDl sold by Bayer Material Science. However, PMDI is not suitable for use in the above-described method as it is a much better adhesive than formaldehyde and would stick the chips and resin mass to the rollers. It is not possible to apply a release agent to the rollers so as to make this a reliable production method.
The present invention, on the other hand, makes use of PMDI as the resin, and so avoids the adverse health aspects of the use of formaldehyde resin.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing chipboard comprising the following steps: {i} providing timber material; {ii} cutting the timber material into chips [iii} sorting the chipped timber material into groups comprising a first group having the approximate size range of 1.25 mm -3.15 mm and a second group having the approximate size range of 3.15 mm -5.00 mm; {iii} mixing chipped Umber material from the first group and the second group in s the approximate proportions of 1:3 by weight; {iv} adding uncured PMDI resin to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 2% -4% by weight; {v} adding wax to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 0.8% -2% by weight; io {vi} mixing the chipped timber, resin and wax together; {vii} compressing the mixed chipped timber, resin and wax to a desired panel thickness and a panel density of 700 -750 kg/rn3; {viiij curing the resin at a temperature of between approximately 190 C and approximately 210 C for a penod of approximately 10-14 seconds for each mm of desired panel thickness.
There is also provided a structural panel made according to the defined method, comprising: {i} chips of timber material from a first group and a second group, the first group being of an approximate size range of 1.25 mm -3.15 mm, the second group being of an approximate size range of 3.15 mm -5.00 mm, in the approximate proportions of 1:3 by weight (ii) PMDI resin, and {ii} wax, the PMDI resin comprising approximately 2.0% -4.0% by weight, and the wax comprising approximately 0.8% -2.0% by weight.
Preferably, the timber material is waste or recycled timber material. Thus, it is a particular advantage ci the use of PMDI resin that ft can adhere together chips of timber produced from waste wood, including wood which has been chemically treated. The present invention is therefore ideally suited to use as part of a recycling process to turn waste treated wood into a useful product.
The timber material can also include or comprise shredded material such as that producedby a garden or commercial shredder.
The timber material should not be chipboard, medium density fibreboard (MDF) or plywood, for example, as these materials include formaldehyde resin.
Notwithstanding that the PMDI material could adhere chips of such materials, the formaldehyde would remain in the finished product so that the structural panel s would share the health and safety disadvantages of chlpboard described above.
Formaldehyde resins cannot adhere together chips of timber which have been chemically treated, e.g. by preservative, and so the timber materials which are chipped to produce conventional chipboard must be selected to avoid chemical io contamination. As a result, much of the conventional chipboard which is manufactured is made from new or virgin timber, and therefore plays a limited part in the recycling of waste timber materials.
Preferably, the PMDI resin is PMDI V20 resin, supplied by Bayer Material Science. Preferably also, the uncured PMDI resin is added in the proportion of 3% by weight.
Desirably, the wax is Hydro wax 180, supplied by Sasol Wax. Desirably also the wax is added in the proportion 1% by weight.
Preferably, the mixed chipped timber, resin and wax is compressed to a density of 720 kg/rn3.
Desirably, the resin is cured at a temperature of 200 C (it being understood that this is the temperature of the press or other heating apparatus rather than the measured temperature of the panel itself). Desirably, the resin is cured for a period of 12 seconds per mm of desired panel thickness, so that for a desired panel thickness of 18 mm the curing period is desirably 216 seconds.
Not all of the above method steps need to be taken in the described order. Thus, the chipped timber materials, PMDI resin and wax can be mixed in any desired order.
The addition of wax to the resin mixture results in a chipboard which is water resistant. However, the use of waste timber material reduces the manufacturing cost and water resistant chipboard can be manufactured according to the present invention at a cost which is competitive with conventional non-water resistant chipboard.
Ideally, the timber material is sorted by a vibrating sieve or other mechanical operation. When used with waste wood, which may be painted or otherwise coated, a mechanical chipping and sieving procedure causes most of the paint or io other coating to be reduced to vevy small particles which can be removed (i.e. these unwanted materials comprise a third group of chipped materials having a size outside the above-defined ranges, which group can be discarded).
One apparatus for use in the method comprises a large drum into which the chips of timber material are added, the drum rotating to mix the chips of timber material together, and having injectors for the PMDI resin and the wax. The drum is preferably used in a batch process rather than a continuous process, and is therefore filled with a batch of timber material and is then rotated whilst the PMDI resin and wax are added, the rotating drum causing the two groups of chipped timber materials, and the resin and wax, to be mixed substantially evenly throughout.
With the defined materials in the defined proportions the resulting mixture is 4dr, i.e. it behaves like a coarse powder.
Once the chipped timber materials, PMDI resin and wax have been mixed, the batch of mixture is placed onto a substantially flat base and surrounded by a former which defines the area of the cured panel. A pressure plate is lowered over the base so as to compress the batch of material to the desired thickness and density. A high pressure (in one embodiment 100 tonnes) is applied to the mixture which compresses it into a mat.
The amount of mixture which is placed onto the base determines the resulting thickness and density of the structural panel. Chipboard is usually produced in panels 18 mm or 22 mm thick and so one or other of these is typically the desired panel thickness for the present invention.
The mat is then fed into a hot press that further compresses the mat whilst heating it up to cure the resin. In one embodiment the hot press exerts a pressure of 1000 tonnes.
io The edges of the cured panel are ideally trimmed to discard the edge material.
Also, it may be desired to form the edges, for example into a tongue and groove shape, and if so the mat can be made slightly oversize so that the edges can be cut and formed to the desired panel size and shape. Any material which is cut or otherwise removed from the cured panel can be reused as timber material in a subsequent batch.
A release agent Is preferably used to ensure that the PMDI resin does not adhere to any parts of the press during curing. The release agent can be a liquid chemical.
The timber material is preferably chipped in a "ring flaker", which is a known machine for cutting and/or grinding the timber material to the desired chip size.
It is a further advantage of using PMDI resin that the chipped timber materials do not need to be dried as part of the process, and in fact some moisture in the chipped timber materials can be beneficial to the curing process. With formaldehyde resins on the other hand, the chipped timber materials may need to be dried before the resin can be cured.

Claims (15)

1. A method of manufacturing a structural panel comprising the following steps: {i} providing timber material; {ii} cutting the timber material into chips (iii) sorting the chipped timber material into groups comprising a first group having the approximate size range of 1.25 mm -3.15 mm and a second group having the approximate size range of 3.15 mm -5.00 mm; (iii) mixing chipped timber material from the first group and the second group in the approximate proportions of 1:3 by weight; {iv} adding uncured PMDI resin to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 2% -4% by weight; (v} adding wax to the mixed chipped timber in the approximate proportion of 0.8% -2% by weight; {vi} fluxing the chipped timber, resin and wax together {vii} compressing the mixed chipped timber, resin and wax to a desired panel thickness and a panel density of 700 -750 kg/rn3; {viii} curing the resin at a temperature of between approximately 190 C and approximately 210 C for a period of approximately 10-14 seconds for each mm of desired panel thickness.
2. The method of Claim I in which the PMDI resin is PMDI V20 resin.
3. The method of Claim I or Claim 2 in which the uncured PMDI resin is added in the proportion of 3% by weight.
4. The method of Claim I in which the wax is Hydro wax 180.
5. The method of any one of Claims 1-4 in which the wax is added in the proportion 1% by weight.
6. The method of any one of Claims 1-5 in which the mixed chipped timber, resin and wax is compressed to a density of 720 kg/rn3.
7. The method of any one of Claims 1-6 in which the resin is cured at a temperature of 200 C.
8. The method of any one of Claims 1-7 in which the resin is cured for a period of 12 seconds per mm of desired panel thickness,
9. The method of any one of Claims 1-8 in which step {vii} comprises: placing the mixture onto a substantially flat base surrounded by a former which defines the area of the cured panel; and moving a pressure plate towards the base so as to compress the batch of material into a mat having the desired thickness and density.
10. The method of Claim 10 in which a pressure of 100 tonnes is applied to the mixture by the pressure plate.
11. The method of Claim 9 or Claim 10 in which step {viii} comprises: feeding the mat into a hot press that further compresses the mat whilst heating it up to cure the resin.
12. The method of Claim 11 in which the hot press exerts a pressure of 1000 tonnes.
13. A structural panel made according to the method of any one of Claims 1-12.
14. A structural panel comprising: (i} chips of timber material from a first group and a second group, the first group being of an approximate size range of 1.25 mm -3.15 mm, the second group being of an approximate size range of 3.15 mm -5.00 mm, in the approximate proportions of 1:3 by weight, (ii) cured PMDI resin, and (üi} wax, the PMDI resin comprising approximately 2.0% -4.0% by weight, and the wax comprising approximately 0.8% -2.0% by weight.
15. A method according to any one of Claims 1-12, or a structural panel according to Claim 13 or Claim 14, in which the timber material is waste or recycled timber material.
GB0802886A 2007-02-17 2008-02-18 Method of manufacturing a structural panel, and structural panel made thereby Withdrawn GB2446935A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0703151.1A GB0703151D0 (en) 2007-02-17 2007-02-17 Method of manufacturing a structural panel,and structual panel made thereby

Publications (2)

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GB0802886D0 GB0802886D0 (en) 2008-03-26
GB2446935A true GB2446935A (en) 2008-08-27

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GB0802886A Withdrawn GB2446935A (en) 2007-02-17 2008-02-18 Method of manufacturing a structural panel, and structural panel made thereby

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5344484A (en) * 1992-10-08 1994-09-06 Masonite Corporation Isocyanate bonded wood composite and method of manufacturing the same
US5744079A (en) * 1996-02-22 1998-04-28 Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. Process for producing compression molded article of lignocellulose type material
WO2002002886A1 (en) * 2000-07-05 2002-01-10 Phenix Biocomposites, Llc Structural biocomposite materials, systems, and methods
US20050051921A1 (en) * 2003-09-05 2005-03-10 Weyerhaeuser Company Process for making engineered lignocellulosic-based panels
US20070095491A1 (en) * 2004-09-02 2007-05-03 Ernett Altheimer Arundo donax pulp, paper products, and particle board

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5344484A (en) * 1992-10-08 1994-09-06 Masonite Corporation Isocyanate bonded wood composite and method of manufacturing the same
US5744079A (en) * 1996-02-22 1998-04-28 Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd. Process for producing compression molded article of lignocellulose type material
WO2002002886A1 (en) * 2000-07-05 2002-01-10 Phenix Biocomposites, Llc Structural biocomposite materials, systems, and methods
US20050051921A1 (en) * 2003-09-05 2005-03-10 Weyerhaeuser Company Process for making engineered lignocellulosic-based panels
US20070095491A1 (en) * 2004-09-02 2007-05-03 Ernett Altheimer Arundo donax pulp, paper products, and particle board

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0802886D0 (en) 2008-03-26
GB0703151D0 (en) 2007-03-28

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