Non-Wood Lignocellulosic Composites

Abstract

It would seem that with appropriate treatment almost any agricultural residue may be used as a suitable raw material for the wood-based panels like particle- and fiberboard production. The literature on wood-ligno-cellulose plant composite boards highlights steady interest for the design of new structures and technologies towards products for special applications with higher physical-mechanical properties at relatively low prices. Experimental studies have revealed particular aspects related to the structural composition of ligno-cellulose materials, such as the ratio between the different composing elements, their compatibility, and the types and characteristics of the used resins. Various technologies have been developed for designing and processing composite materials by pressing, extrusion, airflow forming, dry, half-dry, and wet processes, including thermal, chemical, thermo-chemical, thermo-chemo-mechanical treatments, etc. Researchers have undertaken to determine the manufacturing parameters and the physical-mechanical properties of the composite boards and to compare them with the standard PB, MDF, HB, SB made from single-raw material (wood). A great emphasis is placed on the processability of the ligno-cellulose composite boards by classical methods, by modified manufacturing processes, on the types of tools and processing equipment, the automation of the manufacturing technologies, the specific labor conditions, etc. The combinations of wood and plant fibers are successful, since there is obvious compatibility between the macro- and microscopic structures, their chemical composition, and the relatively low manufacturing costs and high performances, as compared to synthetic fiber-based composite materials.