Particle Boards from Forest Residues and Bio-Based Adhesive

Wood chipboard, common in interior spaces for applications ranging from furniture to decorative panelling, often falls short due to the presence of toxic adhesives, posing risks to both human health and the environment. This research delves into the potential transformation of wood chipboard into a 100% bio-based product. Previous research has shown the possibility of the partial replacement of petrochemical-based adhesives with bio-based adhesives. Hence, previous results do not reach the policy ambitions of the Green Deal of making the Green Transition to a bio-based economy. For chipboard production, logging residues from Latvian State Forests were systematically gathered within two months post-logging, comprising primarily Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris biomass, including branches, needles, bark, and various particles. A custom chipper and Vibrotehnik PM-120 hammer mill were employed for particle size separation into three fractions via sieving: <2.8 mm, 2.8–8 mm, and 8.0–10.0 mm, and combined with binders and hot-pressed into board samples. As a result, particle boards containing 100% bio-based carbon were achieved, demonstrating the possibility of excluding petroleum adhesives from chipboard production, paving the way for new research exploring bio-based binders and conifer bark.

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