Compressed articles and methods of manufacturing the same

• US 20190322002A1
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woodio OY
• Original Assignee: Woodio OY
• Inventors: Parssinen, Antti
• Granted Patent: US 11,383,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 1/006 for increasing resistance to swelling by humidity
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 3/002 characterised by the type of binder compositions of macromolecular compounds C08L
• CPC Class Codes: B27N 3/02 from particles
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 61/24 with urea or thiourea
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 61/28 with melamine
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 63/00 Compositions of epoxy resins; Compositions of derivatives of epoxy resins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/06 Unsaturated polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 97/02 Lignocellulosic material, e.g. wood, straw or bagasse manufacture of articles made from lignocellulosic material by dry processes B27N

Abstract

A compressed article formed by a composite material comprising a thermoset polymer and a wood material, a method of producing the same and the use of the novel articles. The composite material has a continuous matrix of a hardened thermoset polymer and, distributed within the matrix, wood chips which are at least partially encased by the thermoset polymer, said article having a water absorbency of less than 1% by weight upon immersion into water over a time period of at least 168 h at room temperature. The articles can be used in structures that are frequently contacted with water.

Claims

1. A compressed article formed by a composite material comprising a continuous matrix of a hardened thermoset polymer and, distributed within the matrix, wood chips which are at least partially encased by the thermoset polymer, said article having a water absorbency of less than 1% by weight upon immersion into water over a time period of at least 168 h at room temperature.

2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the wood chips are formed by platy particles having a planar surface and are least partially overlapping in a plane parallel to an outer surface of the article.

3. The article according to claim 1, wherein the wood chips form a 3-dimensional structure of interlocking chips at least in a zone adjacent to an outer surface of the article.

4. The article according to claim 1, wherein the wood chips have a sieved size of 1 to 7.5 mm.

7. The article according to claim 1, wherein the thermoset polymer comprises a polyester resin, an epoxy resin, a urea formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, or melamine ureaformaldehyde resin.

10. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article comprises 1 to 60 parts by weight of wood chips per 100 parts by weight of hardened thermoset polymer.

15. The article according to claim 1, wherein the wood chips are at least partially impregnated with the thermoset polymer.

16. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article has a density which is 2 to 20%, smaller than a density of the hardened thermoset polymer without the wood chips.

17. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article has a density which is 10 to 40%, smaller than a density of the hardened thermoset polymer without the wood chips.

18. The article according to claim 1, further comprising having a water absorbency of less than 0.5% by weight upon immersion into water over a time period of at least 168 h at room temperature when using wood chips having sieved size between 0.5-3 mm.

19. The article according to claim 1, further comprising a gelcoat coating formed by a isophthalic/neopenthylglycol polyester resin.

32. The article according to claim 1, wherein the wood chips have a sieved size of 0.5 to 5 mm.

33. The article according to claim 1, wherein the article comprises 10 to 40 parts by weight of wood chips per 100 parts by weight of hardened thermoset polymer.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11-14. -14. (canceled)

20. A method of producing an article comprising:

blending wood chips with a liquid formed by unhardened thermoset resin at a weight ratio of 1;

100 to 60;

100 to obtain a uniform mixture;

transferring the mixture into a compression mould having a receiving surface corresponding to an outer surface of the compressed article; and

moulding the mixture in said mould under compression to form a compressed article having at least one surface formed against the receiving surface.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

blending wood chips with a liquid formed by unhardened thermoset resin at a weight ratio of 10;

100 to 40;

100 to obtain a uniform mixture;

transferring the mixture into a compression mould; and

moulding the mixture in said mould at a temperature of less than the boiling point of water and under conditions which allow for the chips to form a 3-dimensional structure of interlocking chips within the thermoset resin during the compression.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the wood chips to be blended with the unhardened thermoset resin are capable of becoming impregnated with the unhardened thermoset resin.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the wood chips organize during moulding into an interlocking, 3-dimensional structure on at least said outer surface.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the mixture is hardened in the mould by catalyst activation at room temperature.

27. The method according to claim 20, wherein the wood chips are thermally treated before the blending.

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the article is coated with a layer of a gelcoat formed by a isophthalic/neopenthylglycol polyester resin.

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)