Hot-air/hot-steam process for the production of binderless wood fiber insulation boards using the Laccase-Mediator-System (LMS)

• Applicant: Privatdozent Dr. Markus Christian Euring
• Subject Area: Polymeric and Biogenic Materials and Derived Composites ; Biomaterials ; Forestry ; Mechanical Process Engineering
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 388859837

The aim of the transfer project is to find optimal scientific and technical conditions for the application of laccase mediator systems (LMS) on wood fibers and curing the fibers with the hot-air/hot-steam process, which was developed in the preceding DFG projects.For this purpose, the results obtained will be transferred from the batch process into a continuous working system in collaboration with the Pfleiderer Company. The transfer project will also focus on basic research to understand the physical processes during hot air and hot steam applications and the related mode of action of the LMS. To scale up the process into industrial scale the results will be carefully analyzed. The technical objective of the research project is to modify the production conditions of the wood fiber insulation boards to the requirements of the LMS and to integrate the process technique of hot-air/hot-steam, which enable the production of binder-free wood fiber insulation boards. The duration of the project will be 36 months, as attempts to design and build the prototype plant are demanding and require a certain amount of time.The application of the hot-air/hot-steam process for the production of LMS-bonded wood fiber insulation boards are supposed to enrich white biotechnology with a completely new application field and additional customers from the insulation industry.For this purpose, it is planned to analyze the physical function and mode of action of the hot-air/hot-steam process and its influence on the ad- and cohesive mechanisms between the LMS-treated wood fibers. Also the role of the chemical wood components during LMS actions and the hot-air/hot-steam treatment will be investigated and has to be considered for the technical process.The prospect of success of this transfer project is expected to be high due to the positive results of the previos studies.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Application Partner: Pfleiderer Deutschland GmbH