Wood Composites

The combination of different materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties aims to tailor composites with desired properties for different application. Today there is an increasing trend for the creation and development of material systems based on the utilization of renewable resources. Our research focuses on the development of wood and natural fiber composites including their processes and performance analytics.

Our research focuses on thermoplastic and duroplastic based wood composites. Thermo- and duroplastic polymers differ from each other in their melting and processing behavior as well in the resulting material properties.

Thermoplastics are polymers which are able to melt upon a specific temperature and solidifies again after cooling. Typical thermoplastic based composites are:

• Wood plastic composites (WPC)
• Wood thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites
• Natural fiber composites

Duroplastic polymers do not melt upon a specific temperature and rather decompose. After curing these polymers are not reformable.

Typical duroplastic based composites are:

• Particleboards
• Fiberboards
• Oriented strand boards