Fiberboard
"Fiberboard is a type of engineered wood product that is made out of wood fibers. Types of fiberboard (in order of increasing density) include particle board, medium-density fiberboard, and hardboard. Fiberboard is sometimes used as a synonym for particle board, but particle board usually refers to low-density fiberboard. Plywood is not a type of fiberboard, as it is made of thin sheets of wood, not wood fibers or particles. Fiberboard, particularly medium-density fiberboard (MDF), is heavily used in the furniture industry. For pieces that will be visible, a veneer of wood is often glued onto fiberboard to give it the appearance of conventional wood." (Wikipedia, Fiberboard, 4/28/2011)
Recent Journal Articles
Effects of Preparation Parameters on Properties of Soy Protein-Based Fiberboard
(146-151) Journal of Polymers and the Environment 19 #1 (2011)
Yang et al of the Shanghai University of Science and Technology, China, studied medium density fibreboard (MDF) bonded with modified soy protein-based glue. The fiberboards bonded with soy protein-based glue showed stronger water resistance properties than those bonded with urea–formaldehyde (UF) resins.. Practical processing parameters were obtained by orthogonal experiment, i.e., glue content 8.0%, hot-press temperature 200 °C, and hot-press time 150 s. (RDC 4/22/2011)
Self-Bonding Boards From Plantain Fiber Bundles After Enzymatic Treatment: Adhesion Improvement of Lignocellulosic Products by Enzymatic Pre-Treatment
(182-188) Journal of Polymers and the Environment 19 #1 (2011)
Alvarez et al Columbia and North Carolina manufactured self-bonding boards with treated fibers at different concentrations of a laccase enzyme. This enzyme induced the generation of phenoxy radicals in the fiber lignin which can generate covalent bonds and cross-linked by radical–radical coupling. Increased thermal stability, modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture and also, a reduction in thickness swelling and water absorption, were observed at higher concentrations of laccase. These results are ascribed to the effect of the free radicals that were generated during the enzymatic treatment. (RDC 4/22/2011)