Phase II I/UCRC Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Center for Wood-Based Composites (WBC)

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

This project advances the utility, performance, and sustainability of the wood composite products used to build American homes and consumer products. The subject matter, composite materials derived from wood, is often overlooked because for the average person wood composites are as commonplace as trees themselves. However for the scientist, wood is an incredibly complex biomaterial for which contemporary scientific methods are now revealing insights that lead to better performance for the homeowner, improved efficiency for the industry, and greater sustainability for society. A sustainable society must include timber products and the future requires a marriage between this ancient material and the most sophisticated scientific and technological methods. This is a team effort among three critical partners: industry, federal government, and academia. The federal government joins the partners into a mutually beneficial collaboration that leverages resources and skills. The industry defines the ever-changing technological challenges, and guides the required research. Academia conducts the research with students that employ cutting edge methods within a practical context. At Virginia Tech, we provide expertise in polymer synthesis, adhesive characterization, and wood polymer chemistry. Along with our partner, Oregon State University, we provide industry-directed, pre-competitive research, and a pathway for students to become future leaders in sustainable U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and management positions. The science and technology of wood composites continually evolves as the industry adapts to changing economic cycles, legislative pressures, and raw material supplies. Consequently the goal is to advance knowledge in adhesives, adhesion, wood/adhesive interactions, and wood chemistry as these topics influence wood rheology, heat and mass transfer, and fracture mechanics while processing wood, manufacturing composites, and evaluating product performance. A parallel goal is to identify fundamental phenomena, and reduce them to definable quantities that may be described numerically for purposes of modeling, simulation, and performance prediction. At Virginia Tech, we focus on chemical transformations associated with composite production, which includes transformations of the adhesive and the wood. In the latter case, wood transformations include the generation of biogenic formaldehyde and understanding this process is a major industry goal that impacts compliance with federal emissions regulations.