Lignocellulosic composites and methods of making same

#Described herein are lignocellulosic composite materials useful in structural materials, building materials, furniture components and other uses. More particularly, described herein are new adhesive components used in the manufacture of lignocellulosic composites that provide improved properties to such composites.

#Lignocellulosic composite materials are generally composed of a lignocellulosic material and an adhesive, binder, or resin that are mixed, and then formed by compression molding at high temperatures and pressures. Lignocellulosic composites are used for structural materials, panels, sheathing, moldings, or other building materials. Lignocellulosic composites are also used in furniture components, as painting surfaces for the fine arts, and for other uses.

#Many lignocellulosic composite materials are made using a formaldehyde-based resin such as urea-formaldehyde, phenol-formaldehyde or melamine-formaldehyde as the adhesive component. The industry has recently moved away from formaldehyde-based resins due to evidence that the composite materials formed therefrom release formaldehyde into the environment and may increase the risk of cancer, especially when the materials are used in building interiors.

#Unless specifically noted otherwise herein, the definitions of the terms used are standard definitions used in the art of construction materials and chemistry science. Exemplary embodiments, aspects and variations are illustrative in the figures and drawings, and it is intended that the embodiments, aspects and variations, and the figures and drawings disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative and not limiting.

#As used herein, the term “lignocellulosic component” refers to the portion of the composite that consists of lignocellulosic material. Lignocellulosic material is typically derived from wood, but also can be derived from other materials, such as straw, flax residue, nut shells, cereal grain hulls, etc. The lignocellulosic component is typically wood flour, sawdust, wood strand, wood flakes, wood chips, wood fibers or straw. Non-lignocellulosic materials in flake, fibrous or other particulate form, such as glass fiber, mica, asbestos, rubber, plastics, etc., can also be mixed with the lignocellulosic material; however, such materials are not generally required for purposes of the present invention.

#Lignocellulosic composites include chipboards and fiberboard. Fiberboard may be classified as medium density fiberboard (MDF), hardboard, and soft board. Chipboards include particleboard and medium-density particleboard. Fibrous lignocellulosics, such as fibers, flakes, or wood strands, may optionally be oriented in the composite, as for example in “oriented strand boards” (OSB). Lignocellulosic composites also include layered materials, such as plywood, and multilayer fibrous composites, such as multilayer fibrous paper.