Analysis of the Thermal Insulation and Fire-Resistance Capacity of Particleboards Made from Vine (Vitis vinifera L.) Prunings.

Clara Eugenia Ferrandez-Garcia,Manuel Ferrandez-Villena,Antonio Ferrandez-Garcia,Teresa Garcia-Ortuño,Maria Teresa Ferrandez-Garcia

doi:10.3390/polym12051147

Abstract

In Europe, vine (Vitis vinifera L.) prunings are one of the most abundant types of agricultural waste. It is, therefore, essential to organize the removal of vine waste from the fields in order to prevent the spread of fires, pests, or diseases. Using plant biomass in buildings will help achieve greater energy efficiency and cause less environmental pollution. The objectives of this work were to minimize burning of agricultural waste, reduce the use of natural wood, and obtain a product by using vine pruning waste to manufacture particleboards, assessing their use as an insulating material and their fire-resistance qualities. Eight types of boards were manufactured with vine prunings (two particle sizes, two times, and two pressures), using 9% by weight of urea-formaldehyde as a bonding resin. Experimental tests were conducted to determine the physical, mechanical, thermal, and fire-resistance properties. In general, the panels manufactured performed well as a thermal insulating material with a conductivity between 0.0642 and 0.0676 W/m·K and a classification of Bd0 according to the European standards on fire resistance; some of them may be used to manufacture furniture, interior décor, and load-bearing panels in dry conditions.

Highlights

Due to the deforestation that is occurring, we need to seek suitable replacements for wood, for use in both cellulose derivatives and building elements
Apart from reducing and recycling agricultural waste, co-products, and by-products, there may be opportunities for new processes that result in innovative uses of such waste
The results show that it is possible to produce particleboards using vine pruning waste as a raw material

Summary

Introduction

Due to the deforestation that is occurring, we need to seek suitable replacements for wood, for use in both cellulose derivatives and building elements. The causes of this loss of forests include the expansion of pastures and crops, urban development, and wood production for industrial uses and as fuel. From the technical point of view, non-woody plants’ fibers offer a large variety of qualities and, if adequately exploited, they can be used to develop materials with innovative properties to replace wood. Apart from reducing and recycling agricultural waste, co-products, and by-products, there may be opportunities for new processes that result in innovative uses of such waste. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) [1], 7.6 million hectares of the world’s surface were covered by vineyards in 2017, of which approximately 1 million hectares are in Spain

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion