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Foams in Wood Composites

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Phenolic Based Foams

Part of the book series: Gels Horizons: From Science to Smart Materials ((GHFSSM))

Abstract

The global demand in which lightweight panels are being used for furniture applications has changed significantly during the last decades. This chapter reviews important factors that are driving the use and consumption of lightweight wood composites around the world. The chapter begins with recent data about the regional production volume of wood-based panels (WBPs), followed by describing the various strategies used for weight reduction of WBPs. In the section of sandwich composites, the potential of sandwich concept to be used for wood composites is discussed. In the next section, discontinuous, continuous, and simultaneous (integrated) processes were described as various production technologies of foam core panels. The specific requirements for the foam core layer materials are considered in the context of polymeric foams. In this context, phenolic foam, as a thermoset and fire resistance component, shows great potential to be used as the core layer of foam core panels. Finally, new developments in alternative polymeric foams based on biopolymers are reported.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

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Correspondence to Ali Shalbafan .

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Shalbafan, A. (2022). Foams in Wood Composites. In: P.K, S., M.S., S., Thomas, S. (eds) Phenolic Based Foams. Gels Horizons: From Science to Smart Materials. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5237-0_16

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