Abstract
Wood-composite panel factories are in shortage of raw materials; therefore, finding new sources of fibers is vital for sustainable production. The effects of chicken feathers, as a renewable source of natural fibers, on the physicomechanical properties of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard panels were investigated here. Wollastonite was added to resin to compensate possible negative effects of chicken feathers. Only feathers of the bodies of chickens were added to composite matrix at 5% and 10% content, based on the dry weight of the raw material, particles or fibers. Results showed significant negative effects of 10%-feather content on physical and mechanical properties. However, feather content of 5% showed some promising results. Addition of wollastonite to resin resulted in the improvement of some physical and mechanical properties. Wollastonite acted as reinforcing filler in resin and improved some of the properties; therefore, future studies should be carried out on the reduction of resin content. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) demonstrated the formation of new bonds between wollastonite and carbohydrate polymers in the wood cell wall. It was concluded that chicken feathers have potential in wood-composite panel production.
Highlights
Fast-growing wood species are often used in the manufacture of composite panels, engineered and modified wood, and paper industries [1,2]
Measurement of the core section of the particleboard mats showed a significant lower temperature in comparison to the medium-density fiberboard (MDF) mats (Figure 2B). This can be attributed to the higher contact surface among wood fibers (MDF matrix) in comparison to wood particles; that is, the surface-to-surface contact is higher between wood fibers in comparison to the contact between wood particles, so the heat of the hot-press plates could more rapidly be transferred to the core section in
Chicken feathers were mixed at 5% and 10% consumption levels with wood fibers and particles to produce medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard panels, in order to comply with the growing need for new sources of raw materials
Summary
Fast-growing wood species are often used in the manufacture of composite panels, engineered and modified wood, and paper industries [1,2]. The heat-transferring properties of metals and improving effects of different materials at micro- and nano-scales [12,13,14,15,16,17] were found to decrease hot press time and to improve the physicomechanical properties in wood composites [6,18]. Under this frame, wollastonite (as a silicate mineral, CaSiO3 ) was Polymers 2020, 12, 857; doi:10.3390/polym12040857 www.mdpi.com/journal/polymers
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