Sustainable Wood Nanotechnologies for Wood Composites Processed by In-Situ Polymerization

Abstract

The development of large, multifunctional structures from sustainable wood nanomaterials is challenging. The need to improve mechanical performance, reduce moisture sensitivity, and add new functionalities, provides motivation for nanostructural tailoring. Although existing wood composites are commercially successful, materials development has not targeted nano-structural control of the wood cell wall, which could extend the property range. For sustainable development, non-toxic reactants, green chemistry and processing, lowered cumulative energy requirements, and lowered CO2-emissions are important targets. Here, modified wood substrates in the form of veneer are suggested as nanomaterial components for large, load-bearing structures. Examples include polymerization of bio-based monomers inside the cell wall, green chemistry wood modification, and addition of functional inorganic nanoparticles inside the cell wall. The perspective aims to describe bio-based polymers and green processing concepts for this purpose, along with wood nanoscience challenges.

Highly reinforced and degradable lignocellulose biocomposites by polymerization of new polyester oligomers

“…The present approach allows for high reinforcement content, good reinforcement dispersion, and no mechanical damage to the reinforcement. The in-situ polymerization process should also improve lignocellulose/polymer interfacial adhesion 42 , 57 . PCL is investigated as a model polymer representing soft, low T g semicrystalline and compostable aliphatic polyester as candidate replacement for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) biocomposite matrices.…”

“…Moisture also hinders polycondensation/polyesterification reactions of linear monomers towards high molecular weight polymers. Thus, polymerization must be performed under extremely dry conditions (distilled under inert gas flow, high vacuum, and/or very high temperatures 34,[36][37][38][39][40][41] ) or in organic solvents 42 . This impedes the sustainability of the process, as well as its applicability in scalable composite production.…”

Wood-Derived Porous Carbon/Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Composites for Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

“…Among all these achievements, wood-derived porous carbon (PC) materials have shown promising potential for high-performance EMI shielding ascribed to their three-dimensional (3D) highly ordered microstructures. ,,− For example, Shen and Feng prepared the epoxy (EP)/carbon composites by filling the epoxy resin into carbonized wood, and the EP/C-1200 composites showed a maximum SE of 27.8 dB at 3 mm in the X band . Liang et al demonstrated an MXene aerogel/wood-based PC composite with excellent conductivity, which obtained a 69.4 dB SE value at 3 mm .…”

CO2 Storage in Logging Residue Products with Analysis of Energy Production Scenarios

“…It is estimated that for every cubic meter of logged wood material removed, a cubic meter of wastes and residues (e.g., stumps, branches, greenery) is left in the forest. Currently, of all wood-derived biomass produced globally, 20 % can be accounted as primary production loss left in the woods to decay, which could instead be used as a feedstock for a variety of products, including the production of fuels, polymers and building materials and products [1].…”