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Content archived on 2024-04-30

Development of a durable, environmentally compatible, fire-proof and water resistant particle board

Objective


The project ran for a period of two years during which various component materials were studied including fire retardants, water repellents and different kinds of adhesives. The combination of these materials was studied in depth to establish compatible and optimised board formulations. Another key element was determining the best ways to incorporate these raw materials into the particleboard manufacturing process. This was done firstly under laboratory conditions and then in an industrial trial using a multi-opening press production line.
The results achieved have been numerous and successful. Technically the most important has been the development of a new formulation for a particle board with a high fire resistance (M1 according to UNE 23.727-90) and improved resistance to humid indoor conditions (class 2 according to ENV 1995-11). Additional post project research time will be necessary to fully optimise the process and adapt it for structural uses. Other important results have been the development of improved methods for producing particleboard test samples in the laboratory and the development of new resin formulations to manufacture particleboards for these special conditions. The project has taken advantage of recent developments in the resins and adhesives industry to improve the performance of the board.

A great part of the success can be attributed to the good working relationship within the partner consortium, which consisted of particleboard manufacturers, a fire retardant manufacturer and resin producers from several European countries. The transnational character of the project has promoted the exchange of know-how and future business relationships between partners.
Potential uses of this type of particleboard have been identified such as construction material in walls and ceilings (especially in fire prone, humid environments such as kitchens) and also in furniture requiring these characteristics. Application areas include public centres, jails, schools, hospitals, laboratories and any building with high fire and water resistance specifications that must comply with the new European construction regulations.
The main target of this project is to make environmentally compatible, fire-proof and water resistant particle boards, whose qualities last in time, during all the working life of the boards. Nowadays is mainly the market of buildings materials the one who demands this products because the available don't satisfy all this properties. There are fireproof particle boards and also water resistant ones but there aren't any boards satisfying both properties at the same time. Neither they are friendly to environment, because the rain and damp causes the washing of the chemicals used to provide fire-proof properties, and also because the water repellers generally used are solvent based products. The building contractors need that the particle boards used in the construction of roofs are resistant to water (dimensional stability) and fireproof (security). They also need an environmentally friendly product (no washing of chemicals and no solvent based water repellers). All this qualities must last during all the working life of the roof. As we say particle board we mean the one made of particles binded together using an adhesive and high pressure. The particle board (also know as chipboard) is made of screened wood particles sized with resins which polymerise at high temperature under pressure.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

Interbon S.A.
EU contribution
No data
Address
S/N,Barrio de Castaçares S/N
9199 Burgos
Spain

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Total cost
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Participants (8)