RISE PFI is innovation partner in a new innovation project – “BioBoard – wet-formed wood fiber-based building products”.
RISE PFI will in the BioBoard project collaborate with Hunton Fiber and RISE Fire Research to develop a windproof board that meets fire class D, is 100% fossil-free and contains up to 25% recycled fiber. At the same time, it is important that the new windproof board achieves good mechanical properties, long durability and can be produced with a lower environmental impact compared to the current production process of Hunton Vindtett. Replacing the use of fossil raw materials with sustainable alternatives provides a better environmental profile, in addition to a more secure future availability of resources. The introduction of recycled fiber will make a significant contribution to the circular utilization of Norwegian forest raw materials and will contribute to the material recovery of fiber qualities that are usually incinerated. By improving the fire-technical properties of the windproof panels, which is another key innovation in the project, the panels will be able to be used in taller buildings, thus providing access to a large new market.
Key challenges in the BioBoard project are, among other things, linked to the development of a new binder for the windproof boards, in addition to innovative solutions for emission reduction, energy efficiency, board durability and optimization of wood fiber properties. Utilization of recycled fiber comes with several significant challenges that must be resolved. Recycled fiber will typically contain several impurities that can have very adverse consequences for production equipment and product quality, for example residues of paint, varnish, metals, plaster, concrete, plastic, stone and sand. This places strict demands on the cleaning process and quality control of the recycled fibers. Assessments of the addition of fire retardants are necessary to investigate the interaction between the addition of new chemicals and potential changes in the windproof panels’ physical properties.
The BioBoard project will make major positive environmental contributions in the form of reduced consumption of petroleum products, increased market penetration for sustainable building solutions, and recycling of wood-based waste. A realization of the new products will make better use of the forest-based value chains and ensure that the carbon captured in trees is stored in building materials over a longer period, compared to combustion.
The project is partly financed by the Research Council through the research program “Industry and services”. Hunton Fiber is the project owner, while RISE PFI and RISE Fire Research are innovation partners in the project.
The project participants in the BioBoard project after the start-up meeting on 26-27 February at Hunton Fiber
RISE PFI is part of RISE - Research Institutes of Sweden
RISE PFI is and internationally acknowledged research institute within processes and products based on lignocellulose. RISE PFI´s focus areas are Fibre technology and fibre-based products, Biorefining and Bioenergy and Biopolymers and Biocomposites.
Contact
- Høgskoleringen 6b
- NO - 7491 Trondheim
- firmapost@rise-pfi.no
- +47 73 60 50 65
