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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 9754

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Dr. Ľuboš Krišťák

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Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
Interests: physics; materials; thermal properties; wood sciences; wood physics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Roman Reh

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Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, SK-960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
Interests: wood-based composites; wood adhesives; wood sciences; wood physics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Marius Cătălin Barbu

*
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1. Forest Products Technology and Timber Construction Department, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Markt 136 a, 5431 Kuchl, Austria
2. Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering, Transylvania University of Brasov, B-dul. Eroilor nr. 29, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: wood- and non-wood composites; wood processing and technology
* Prof.Dr.Habil.Dr.

Prof. Dr. Eugenia Mariana Tudor

*
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1. Forest Products Technology and Timber Construction Department, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Markt 136 a, 5431 Kuchl, Austria
2. Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering, Transylvania University of Brasov, B-dul. Eroilor nr. 29, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: ligno-cellulosic composites; material science; ecology of materials; scientific writing
* FH-Prof.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wood-based composite's importance has dramatically increased in recent years. They are derived by combining eligible wood elements with thermoplastic adhesives. Some additives, such as hardeners or fillers are purposefully added to produce better and faster wood-based composites. These additives help provide physical and mechanical properties to the polymer matrix. Wood-based composites find their application in a number of structural and non-structural applications for interior and exterior purposes, such as furniture, construction, floorings, doors, and other applications.

This Special Issue is focused on high-quality original research articles and reviews on topics including (but not limited to) the latest approaches in the development of wood-based composites, including
reinforced composite structures, novel eco-friendly wood-based composites, wood-plastic composites (WPC), advanced functionalities in laminates, activation of natural fibers, natural matrix, and other industrial manufacturing research advancements in wood composite materials and their application.

Dr. Ľuboš Krišťák
Prof. Dr. Roman Reh
Prof. Dr. Marius Cătălin Barbu
Prof. Dr. Eugenia Mariana Tudor
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2466 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Consumption for Furniture Joints during Drilling in Birch Plywood

by Weronika Pakuła, Barbara Prałat, Zbigniew Potok, Krzysztof Wiaderek and Tomasz Rogoziński

Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1045; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081045 - 10 Apr 2024

Viewed by 339

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to support eco-design ideas and sustainable manufacturing techniques by examining the energy consumption related to drilling holes for different furniture connections. The experimental model is a simple piece of furniture made from birch plywood with three different types of joints. Eccentric joints, confirmat screws, and dowel measurements of energy consumption with a CNC drilling and milling machine show different values for every kind of connector. The energy consumption was measured using a portable power quality analyzer, specifically the PQ-box 150 manufactured by A:Eberle GmbH & Co. KG Nürnberg, Germany. This device likely adheres to industry standards for energy measurement, ensuring accurate and reliable results. The measurement process involved recording energy consumption at different stages of the machining process, allowing for the analysis of specific cutting work and total energy consumption for various joint types. Dowels exhibit the lowest energy consumption at 0.105 Wh for one furniture joint, confirmat screws at 0.127 Wh, while eccentric joints, despite their higher energy consumption (0.173 Wh), offer enhanced transportability and assembly flexibility of a piece of furniture. Specific cutting power for one selected piece of furniture was 227.89 J/mm³ for dowels, 190.63 J/mm³ for eccentric joints and 261.68 J/mm³ for confirmat screws. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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12 pages, 1294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molded Plywood with Proportions of Beech Bark in Adhesive Mixtures: Production on an Industrial Scale

by Roman Reh, Lubos Kristak, Jan Sedliacik, Pavlo Bekhta, Anita Wronka and Grzegorz Kowaluk

Polymers 2024, 16(7), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16070966 - 02 Apr 2024

Viewed by 451

Abstract

Molded plywood is used for furniture components such as seats, backrests, or integral seat shells, and it must be durable and harmless to health. Molded plywood is made with urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesives; therefore, the issue of the fillers used in them is important. The potential of using ground beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) bark as an eco-friendly additive in UF adhesives for molded plywood manufacturing was investigated in this work. Wheat flour was used as a reference filler. The beech bark (BB) level as a filler was 10%, a value verified under laboratory conditions. Nine-layer flat and molded plywood were produced under industrial conditions from beech veneers bonded with a UF adhesive mixture. The mechanical (bending strength and bonding quality) and physical (swelling and absorbency values after 2 and 24 h) properties of the industrially fabricated molded plywood were evaluated and compared with the European standard requirements (EN 310 and EN 314-2). The mechanical properties of the molded plywood with the addition of BB in the adhesive mixture were acceptable and met these standards’ requirements. The positive effect of BB in the UF adhesive mixture on a reduction in formaldehyde emissions from the molded plywood was also confirmed. BB, considered to be wood-processing industry waste or a by-product, has significant potential to be used as a filler in UF resins for molded plywood production, providing an environmentally friendly, inexpensive solution for the industrial valorization of bark as a bio-based formaldehyde scavenger. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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17 pages, 10020 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Anisotropy of Sound Propagation Velocity in Thin Wooden Plates Using Lamb Waves

by Dagmar Faktorová, Mariana Domnica Stanciu, Michal Krbata, Adriana Savin, Marcel Kohutiar, Milan Chlada and Silviu Marian Năstac

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060753 - 09 Mar 2024

Viewed by 542

Abstract

The objective of the study was to analyze the influence of coating treatments on sound propagation speeds in thin boards, along the longitudinal and radial directions of resonance wood. The samples studied were thin boards made of spruce and maple wood with dimensions of 240 mm × 80 mm × 4 mm (length × width × thickness) subjected to different coating treatments (oil-based varnish and alcohol varnish) as well as unvarnished samples, exposed to radiation UV, and specimens treated in the saline fog. The test method consisted of evaluating the propagation speeds of Lamb waves applied to thin plates, according to a semicircular test model, so that the results highlighted both the acoustic response in the longitudinal and radial directions as well as the variation in the anisotropy of the samples with the change in the sound propagation direction relative to wood fibers. Based on the statistical analysis, sound propagation speed profiles were obtained in each of the 38 directions analyzed for all wood samples. The results highlighted that the oil-based varnish led to a decrease in the speed of propagation in the radial direction, compared to the alcoholic varnish, whose major effect was in the longitudinal direction, on the spruce wood. On maple wood, increasing the number of varnish layers, regardless of the type of varnish, led to a decrease in the anisotropy ratio between the longitudinal and radial directions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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26 pages, 5425 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chromophores’ Contribution to Color Changes of Thermally Modified Tropical Wood Species

by Tereza Jurczyková, Ondřej Šárovec, František Kačík, Kateřina Hájková, Tomáš Jurczyk and Richard Hrčka

Polymers 2023, 15(19), 4000; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15194000 - 05 Oct 2023

Viewed by 958

Abstract

This work examines the effect of thermal modification temperature (180, 200, and 220 °C) in comparison with reference (untreated) samples on selected optical properties of six tropical wood species—Sp. cedar (Cedrala odorata), iroko (Chlorophora excelsa), merbau (Intsia spp.), meranti (Shorea spp.), padouk (Pterocarpus soyauxii), and teak (Tectona grandis). The main goal is to expand the existing knowledge in the field of wood thermal modification by understanding the related degradation mechanisms associated with the formation of chromophoric structures and, above all, to focus on the change in the content of extractive substances. For solid wood, the CIELAB color space parameters (L*, a*, b*, and ΔE*), yellowness (Y), ISO brightness, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra were obtained. Subsequently, these wood samples were extracted into three individual solvents (acetone, ethanol, and ethanol-toluene). The yields of the extracted compounds, their absorption spectra, and again L*, a*, b*, ΔE*, and Yi parameters were determined. With increasing temperatures, the samples lose brightness and darken, while their total color difference grows (except merbau). The highest yield of extractives (mainly phenolic compounds, glycosides, and dyes) from thermally modified samples was usually obtained using ethanol. New types of extractives (e.g., 2-furaldehyde, lactones, formic acid, some monomer derivatives of phenols, etc.) are already created around a temperature of 180 °C and may undergo condensation reactions at higher temperatures. For padouk, merbau, teak, and partially iroko modified at temperatures of 200 and 220 °C, there was a detected similarity in the intensities of their UV-Vis DR spectra at the wavelength regions corresponding to phenolic aldehydes, unsaturated ketones, quinones, stilbenes, and other conjugated carbonyl structures. Overall, a statistical assessment using PCA sorted the samples into five clusters. Cluster 3 consists of almost all samples modified at 200 and 220 °C, and in the other four, the reference and thermally modified samples at 180 °C were distributed. The yellowness of wood (Y) has a very high dependence (r = 0.972) on its brightness (L*) and the yellowness index of the extractives in acetone Yi(Ac), whose relationship was described by the equation Y = −0.0951 × Y(Ac) + 23.3485. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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31 pages, 5517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Silane Coupling Agent Modification on Properties of Brass Powder-Water-Based Acrylic Coating on Tilia europaea

by Yan Han and Xiaoxing Yan

Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15061396 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1704

Abstract

Fine art coating is usually created by the combination of metal filler and water-based coatings, decorated to the surface of wood structures, furniture, and crafts. However, the durability of the fine art coating is limited by its weak mechanical qualities. In contrast, the metal filler’s dispersion and the coating’s mechanical properties can be significantly improved by the coupling agent molecule’s ability to bind the resin matrix with the metal filler. In this study, a brass powder-water-based acrylic coating was prepared, and three different silane coupling agents, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550), γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH560), and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), were used to modify the brass powder filler in orthogonal tests. The artistic effect and optical properties of the modified art coating induced by different proportions of brass powder, silane coupling agents, and pH were compared. The result demonstrated that the amount of brass powder and the kind of coupling agent used had a substantial impact on the coating’s optical characteristics. Our results also determined how three different coupling agents affected the water-based coating with varying brass powder contents. The findings indicated that 6% KH570 concentration and pH 5.0 were the ideal conditions for brass powder modification. Better overall performance of the art coating applied to the surface of the Basswood substrates was provided by adding 10% of the modified brass powder into the finish. It had a gloss of 20.0 GU, a color difference of 3.12, a color main wavelength of 590 nm, a hardness of HB, an impact resistance of 4 kg·cm, an adhesion of grade 1, and better liquid resistance and aging resistance. This technical foundation for the creation of wood art coatings promotes the application of art coatings on wood. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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15 pages, 1847 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Selected Cellulose Macromolecular Properties after Its Chemical Treatment Using Size Exclusion Chromatography

by Tereza Jurczyková, František Kačík, Iveta Čabalová and Kateřina Hájková

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030573 - 22 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1174

Abstract

This work evaluates the effect of using selected inorganic chemicals as the main components of waterborne wood preservative systems on the degradation of the cellulose constituent in wood from model samples. The polymeric properties of cellulose and the homogeneity of the degradation process primarily reflect very well the degree of cellulose deterioration. Whatman papers, as pure cellulose model samples, were impregnated with 10 different 5 wt% solutions of inorganic salts and distilled water and consequently subjected to wet-thermal accelerated aging (T = 85 °C, RH = 65%, for 30 days). The samples were then derivatized to cellulose tricarbanilates (CTCs) through two different procedures (by precipitation in a methanol–water mixture/by evaporation of pyridine from the reaction mixture) and finally analyzed using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Chemically treated and aged cellulose samples showed different changes in the degree of polymerization (DP) and polydispersity (PD) in terms of untreated non-aged standard caused by different ongoing degradation reactions, such as dehydration, hydrolysis, oxidation, and crosslinking. In general, the lowest degradation rate after treatment by chemicals and after accelerated aging was observed in samples treated by borates, NaCl, and ZnSO₄·7H₂O. The greatest depolymerization after treatment and after accelerated aging was caused by sulphates containing NH⁴⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe³⁺ cations, with aging by NH₄Cl and (NH₄)₂HPO₄-treated samples also leading to significant depolymerization. The higher DP values are linked to the precipitated method of CTC preparation, though not for chlorides and phosphates. PD is also generally higher in precipitated and aged samples and is heavily influenced by the presence of low molecular weight products. This paper brings new insights regarding the complex evaluation of the polymeric properties of degraded cellulose by considering all important factors affecting the sample and the analysis itself through the use of statistics. From the statistical point of view, the influences of all factors (solution, aging, method) and their interactions (except aging*method) on DP are statistically significant. The influence of the sample processing method used for analysis of the desired results becomes important mainly in practice. This work recommends the evaporation method for more accurate description of more degraded cellulose. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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20 pages, 4626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical Properties of Fast-Growing Wood-Polymer Nano Composite Synthesized through TiO₂ Nanoparticle Impregnation

by Istie Rahayu, Wayan Darmawan, Deded Sarip Nawawi, Esti Prihatini, Rohmat Ismail and Gilang Dwi Laksono

Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4463; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204463 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1965

Abstract

Mangium (Acacia mangium Willd.) is a fast-growing wood that is widely grown in Indonesia. The impregnation method is needed to improve the qualities of the wood. In this study, TiO₂ nanoparticle (79.17 nm) was produced using the hydrothermal method. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle impregnation on the density and dimensional stability of mangium and the effectiveness of the presence of TiO₂ nanoparticle in wood in degrading pollutants. The mangium samples (2 cm × 2 cm × 2 cm) were placed inside impregnation tube. The impregnation solutions included water (untreated), 1% TiO₂ nanoparticle, and 5% TiO₂ nanoparticles. The samples were analyzed for density, weight percent gain (WPG) dan bulking effect (BE). Samples were also analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). TiO₂ nanoparticle resulted in an increase in density, WPG, and BE-treated mangium. Based on XRD and FTIR results, TiO₂ nanoparticle was successfully impregnated into mangium wood. Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis indicated that TiO₂ nanoparticle covered the surface of the wood cells. The TiO₂-impregnated mangium wood has a higher photocatalyst activity than untreated, indicating better protection from UV radiation and pollutants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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15 pages, 4265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selected Properties of Bio-Based Layered Hybrid Composites with Biopolymer Blends for Structural Applications

by Aneta Gumowska, Eduardo Robles, Arsene Bikoro, Anita Wronka and Grzegorz Kowaluk

Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4393; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204393 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1546

Abstract

In this study, layered composites were produced with different biopolymer adhesive layers, including biopolymer polylactic acid (PLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), and biopolymer blends of PLA + polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) (75:25 w/w ratio) with the addition of 25, 50% microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and 3% triethyl Citrate (TEC) for these blends, which acted as binders and co-created the five layers in the elaborated composites. Modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bonding strength (IB), density profile, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were obtained. The results showed that among the composites in which two pure biopolymers were used, PLA obtained the best results, while among the produced blends, PLA + PHB, PLA + PHB + 25MCC, and PLA + PHB + 25MCC + 3TEC performed best. The mechanical properties of the composites decreased with increases in the MCC content in blends. Therefore, adding 3% TEC improved the properties of composites made of PLA + PHB + MCC blends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Wood Based Composites)

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