LIMOWOOD

Advanced wood plastic composite material for the production of bath furniture resistant to moisture and free of coatings

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'LIMOWOOD solution will develop a Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) made of a recycled thermoplastic polymer and natural reinforcing particles derived from wood. The resulting material will represent a number of advantages: •Weight and density comparable to current wood-based pannels (700 kg/m3). This will provide reduction in the cost of transport of furniture items and use of cheaper fasteners and fittings to support weight. •Improved mechanical resistance (modulus of elasticity >4.5 GPa and tensile strength > 55 MPa). •Improved resistance to moisture and fungal decay by 35% making durable bathroom furniture •Cost-competitive material and derived furniture products (190-200 €/m3). •Fully recyclable material •Total avoidance of surface coatings or adhesives releasing no VOCs •Good aesthetic finish resembling natural wood. LIMOWOOD will enter the market by filling the gap between high-standing products made of pure solid wood that have high price (1000-2700 €/m3) and require the use of coatings but have good mechanical resistance and the best finish, and low-standing products with very affordable prices (180 €/m3) but reduced mechanical properties, durability and resistance to moisture. The developments presented in this project will enable the participating SMEs to become more competitive in the bathroom furniture sector and be able to face current economic, technological, environmental and legislative threats. They will be providing a high quality material at a cost-effective value (190-200 €/m3) and achieving forecasted sales of 64 million € in 5 years during future commercial exploitation of the project’s results. At European level, savings of more than 120 million are estimated after project completion through the contribution of LIMOWOOD to the reduction of imports from outside Europe, reduction of VOCs emissions, reduction of wood waste, creation of new jobs in the industry and social security savings from work-related diseases.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

A wood-plastic composite currently under development could address a need in the furniture industry for a strong, affordable and moisture-resistant product.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Wood products available for furniture making fall into two categories: high-quality natural wood and low-quality composites.

The former is strong but expensive and requires coating, and the latter are cheap but not strong or durable.The EU-funded http://www.limowoodcomposites.com (LIMOWOOD) project aims to develop a wood-plastic composite (WPC) that is moisture-, fungi- and bacteria-resistant, as well as strong and affordable.

The new material will be made from wood particles filling in a polymer matrix, and will not need to be treated or coated with volatile chemicals.A major part of LIMOWOOD has been dedicated to the selection of suitable materials.

Most importantly, the polymer that will form the matrix of the WPC has been selected, and other additives such as flame retardants, fungicides and plasticisers have been evaluated.Researchers also developed a method to produce cellulose fibres, and these were compared to commercially available wood fibres.

A recipe for the WPC has been finalised, shaped by a literature review and the information gathered during the project.

The WPC has since been manufactured, and researchers are now studying its microscopic structure, mechanical properties, and resistance to water and fungal attack.

Once testing is complete, the LIMOWOOD consortium will bring to market a strong, durable and affordable new wood product ideal for bathroom furniture.