# US 8,568,895 B2 · Use of popcorn for timber and composite materials

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- Number: US 8,568,895 B2
- Document ID: US8568895B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/446,131
- Filed: 2012-04-13
- Published: 2012-08-02
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2006-10-04
- Assignees: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Stiftung Öffentlichen Rechts
- Applicants: Alireza Kharazipour; Christian Bohn
- Inventors: Alireza Kharazipour; Christian Bohn
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8568895B2

## CPC

- B27N 3/00: Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres
- Y10T 428/253: Cellulosic [e.g., wood, paper, cork, rayon, etc.]
- Y10T 428/268: Monolayer with structurally defined element
- Y10T 428/31971: Of carbohydrate
- Y10T 428/31982: Wood or paper
- Y10T 428/31986: Regenerated or modified
- Y10T 428/31989: Of wood
- B27N: MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL (containing cementitious material B28B; shaping of substances in a plastic state B29C; fibreboards made from fibrous suspensions D21J; drying F26B17/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of popcorn as material that provides structure and that stabilizes dimensions, for lignocellulose-containing molded articles, such as wood/composite materials, and also to the use of popcorn as binder for formaldehyde in wood/composite materials.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composite fiberboard material, comprising popcorn fragments and wood fibers, wherein ≧50% of the popcorn fragments have a size of ≧2 mm and ≦10 mm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 1, wherein ≧50% and ≦90% of the popcorn fragments have a size of ≧2 mm and ≦10 mm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 2, wherein ≧50% and ≦90% of the popcorn fragments have a size of ≧4 mm and ≦10 mm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 3, wherein ≧70% and ≦90% of the popcorn fragments have a size of ≧4 mm and ≦10 mm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 2, wherein ≧50% and ≦80% of the popcorn fragments have a size of ≧3 mm and ≦8 mm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 1, wherein the popcorn fragments have an average size of ≧3 mm and ≦6 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 6, wherein the popcorn fragments have an average size of ≧3.5 mm and ≦5 mm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 1, further comprising a formaldehyde-containing resin or a polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composite fiberboard material of claim 1, wherein the fiberboard has a bulk density of ≦550 kg/m3, and a transverse tensile strength per unit of bulk density * 1000 of ≧0.75 m3N/mm2kg.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method for producing the composite fiberboard material of claim 1, the method comprising treating corn kernels so as to give popped up popcorn, milling of the popcorn into popcorn fragments, and combining the popcorn fragments with wood fibers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the treating step is carried out via microwave treatment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein in the combining step, a binder and, optionally, a hardening accelerator is added.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, melamine-reinforced urea-formaldehyde resin, tannin-formaldehyde resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, and polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the treating step includes adding ≦10% fat by weight of the corn kernels prior to popping.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the treating step includes adding ≦5% fat by weight of the corn kernels prior to popping.