AU774061B2

AU774061B2 - Process for production of perlite fiber composite panel board

Info

Publication number: AU774061B2
Application number: AU66690/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bambang Dr Prasetya
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-22
Filing date: 2000-10-24
Publication date: 2004-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-22
Also published as: AU6669000A

Description

29/04/2004 12:10 HRLFORD AND CO. PRTENT OFFICE N0.777 D004 1 PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF PERLITE FIBRE COMPOSITE PANEL

BOARD

Field of the Invention This invention relates to production of a perlite fibre composite panel board using as raw materials expanded perlite, biomass fibre and a resin binder.

Background Panel board of the type to which this invention relates have until now been mainly 10 produced from wood-based material such as plywood, hardboard, medium density fibreboard (MDF) and particleboard. These products have in general many disadvantageous properties, for example low fire resistance, low water resistance and low resistance to biological attack by termite and fungi. Other panel board products o such as inorganic bonded particleboard or cellulose (pulp) board, for example cement bonded particleboard and pulp cement board, have higher fire resistance and water resistance, as well as biological resistance, but are heavy, with a density greater than 1g/cm 3 Gypsum board has a lower density than cement board and is both fire resistant and termite/fungi resistant, however gypsum board is less water resistant.

20 Summary of the Invention S: The present invention aims to provide a panel board composition which is an alternative to one or more of the existing panel board types mentioned above, and a process for producing same.

In particular, the invention aims to provide a perlite fibre composite (PFC) panel board which is lightweight, has improved resistance to fire, water/moisture, biological attack (termite and fungal), has good workability, and good sound and thermal insulation properties.

It is an aim to provide a production process which will allow flexibility in the thickness and density of the PFC panel board produced, to result in the PFC panel boards which may be suitable for many purposes for which the prior art panel boards 29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] @004 29/04/2004 12:10 HRLFORD AND CO. PATENT OFFICE N0.777 D005 2 are used, such as wall panelling, partitioning, furniture construction, doors, window frames, and exterior use.

In a first form, the invention provides a process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board having structural properties suitable as a substitute for plywood, hard board, medium density fibreboard and/or particle board, including the steps of: making a mixture of expanded perlite, biomass fibre and thermosetting resin binder; forming the mixture into a panel; and hot pressing the panel at a pressure of about 50-200kg/cm 2 for a time of 2-20 minutes, to produce said panel board.

Preferably, the hot pressing. is carried out for a time of 5-20 minutes, and at a pressure of 100-200 kg/cm 2 Preferably, the biomass fibre is selected from bagasse or wood fibre, which preferably is dried to a moisture content of 10-15% fibre prior to said mixing step.

20 Said forming step may include cold pressing of said mixture, preferably for a time of 10-30 minutes.

The invention further provides a perlite fibre composite panel board having structural properties suitable as a substitute for plywood, hard board, medium density fibreboard and/or particle board, made by the process.

Preferably, the panel board has one or more of the properties set out in Table 1.

29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] @005 29/04/2004 12:10 HALFORD AND CO. 4 PATENT OFFICE NO.777 P006 3 Further preferred embodiments are described below.

The processing method to manufacture PFC consists of the following steps: Step 1. Raw Material PFC consists of perlite, biomass fiber and/or pulp and a thermosetting resin SBP-X1 as binder. Utilization ofperlite enhances the properties of lightweight, fire resistance and termite/fungi resistence. Biomass fiber like bagasse and/or wood particle and/or 10 pulp is used as fiber for strengthening the mechanical and physical properties of perlite board. Glue SBP-X1 is prepared by mixing urea formaldehyde resin (UF- Resin) and 5-10% additive based UF-resin with solid content 50%. The additive is used as water repellent to get the water or moisture resistance of PFC. The additive contains phenol, lignin, tannin, soluble substances of wood in phenol solution and sulfuric acid.

Step 2. Preparation of Raw Material Perlite used in this process is produced by thermal expansion ofperlite ore at temperature 1000°C. The expansion ratio was around 1 20 or more. Density of expanded perlite is from 0.06-0.07 gr/cm 3 Fiber or particles are prepared by mechanical chipping, flaking and milling by using a drum chipper, ring flaker and hammer mill, respectively. Pulp is obtained from refining of wood chip by using a defribrator. Perlite is obtained from expanded perlite stone in a perlite expander at a temperature above 1000 0

C.

Step 3. Mixing of Raw Material and Mat Forming The fiber used for this process is dried to moisture content 10-15%. Expanded perlite and fiber are mixed in a blender machine and the glue binder SBP-X1 sprayed in the mixture. In case of pulp the gluing of resin can be done in the wet condition and followed by drying. The composition of each component depends on the specification 29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] @006 29/04/2004 12:10 HRLFORD AND CO. 4 PATENT OFFICE NO.777 D007 4 of PLC. Generally, the mixing ratio of fiber and perlite is 1:1 to 5:1, while glue content is 10-20% dry weight of PFC. The mixture of perlite, fiber and glue is then put on a mat former or forming machine.

Step 4. Cold Pressing The mat (from step 3) is then pressed in a cold press for around 10-30 minutes depending on the thickness and ratio of pulp/perlite. The pressure is up to 800 psi depending on the density of PFC desired.

Step 5. Hot Pressing For producing PFC board type, after cold pressing the mat (step 4) is then pressed at temperature 140-180 0 C depending on the thickness of PFC board. The pressing time is around 5-20 minutes depending on the target density and thickness of board. The pressure depends on the target density of the PFC board is 100-200 kg/cm 2 depending on the target density and thickness of board. For example, PFC board with target density of0.5g/cm 3 thickness 15 mm using 15% glue is pressed by 750 psi (about 50kg/cm 2 at temperature 160 0 C and needs 6 minutes in an open press or around 2 20 minutes in a roll press.

.m° For the process for producing the PFC pipe type, the mixture mat will be hot pressed by using a mold device in form of cylindrical or half cylindrical form.

Step 6. Conditioning After hot pressing (step the board is conditioned for 2 weeks at room temperature RH, 25 0 C) to improve the properties.

Step 7. Layering and Finishing 29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] @007 29/04/2004 12:10 2~/04/204 12:10 HLFORD AND CO. PATENT OFFICEN.77 p8 NO.777 P008 F'or finishing step, the PFG board will be glued with SBP-XlI by using a glue speader wrd covered by special paper or pulp sheet on both surfaces. The specification of special paper or pulp sheet includes good penetration by gluing with SBP-X1 After gluing the board will be pressed at temperature 140-200'C by using a roll press or opening press and followed by trimmning and cutting. To get a decorative surface, the -PF C board can be coated with melamnine, marble, ceramic, tile, wood veneer, polyester, paper and several types of paint (water based or oil based).

Table 1. Typical Properties of PFC Board

S

No. Properties Value 1. D~ensity 0.3-0.9 (gr/cm.3) 2. Thickness 3mnm 3I Modulus of rupture 30-250 kg/cm" 4. Modulus of elasticity 5,000-20,000 kg/cmz Water absorption 3 0-50% 6. Thickness swelling 2-10% 7. Fire resistant 8. Water resistant 9. Moisture resistant JO0. Thermal insulation 11. Sound insulation 12. HIeat release 13. Fungi resistant 14. Termite resistant *1 Workability fair 1 good 1 very good 28/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] I1a008

Claims

1. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board having structural properties suitable as a substitute for plywood, hard board, medium density fibreboard and/or particle board, including the steps of: making a mixture of expanded perlite, biomass fibre and thermosetting resin binder; forming the mixture into a panel; and hot pressing the panel at a pressure of about 50-200kg/cm z for a time of

2-20 minutes, to produce said panel board. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 1 wherein said hot pressing is carried out for a time of 5-20 minutes.

3. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim I or 2 wherein said hot pressing is carried out at a pressure of 100-200 kg/cm 2 20

4. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said biomass fibre is selected from bagasse or wood fibre.

A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any preceding claim, further including the step of drying of said biomass fibre prior to said mixing step.

6. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 5 wherein said biomass fibre is dried to a moisture content of 10-15%.

7. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said forming step includes cold pressing of said 29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] 1009 29/04/2004 12:10 HALFORD AND CO. PATENT OFFICE N0.777 D010 7 mixture.

8. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 7 wherein said cold pressing is carried out for 10-30 minutes.

9. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims I to 3 wherein said panel board has a density of about 300- 900kg/m 3

10. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 9 wherein said panel board has a density of about 500kg/m'.

11. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said panel board has a modulus of rupture of 5,000- 15 20,000 kg/cm 2

12. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said panel board has a thickness of 20

13. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims I to 3 wherein said thermosetting resin binder is a urea- formaldehyde resin.

14. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 13 wherein said thermosetting resin binder further includes one or more water repellents.

A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3 further including the step of conditioning the panel board at room temperature. 29/04 2004 THU 12:09 [TX/RX NO 5403] 1010 ~'j/~4/2004 12:10 HALFORD AND CO. PATENT OFFICE NO.777 P011 8

16. A process at any preceding claim wherein said hot pressing of the panel is carried out at 140-180 0 C.

17. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to any of claims 1 to 3, 15 or 16 further including the step of applying a surface layer to said panel.

18. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 17 wherein said surface layer is a fibrous layer penetrated with said thermosetting resin binder.

19. A process for production of a perlite and fibre composite panel board according to S.claim 18 wherein said surface layer is applied by hot pressing. 15

20. A perlite and fibre composite panel board having structural properties suitable as a substitute for plywood, hard board, medium density fibreboard and/or particle board, when made by a process according to any of the preceding claims.

21. A perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 20, having a density 20 of between 300-900 kg/m 3 and a modulus of rupture of 5,000-20,000 kg/cm 2

22. A perlite and fibre composite panel board according to claim 20 or 21, having a density of about 500 kg/m 3 29/04 2004 THU 12:08 [TX/RX NO 5403] @i011