plant fiber compressed material

Abstract

This invention provides a plant fiber-based compression material that ensures uniformity of material composition and stability of material properties in a compression molded article using plant-derived materials, while also allowing for design of the surface appearance of the material. [Solution] A plate-shaped plant fiber-based compressed material is made of a material comprising plant fiber material including bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse-derived fiber, and recycled paper fiber, and an adhesive, characterized in that it has a single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition in the thickness direction, and the plant fiber material forms a three-dimensionally intertwined fiber structure together with the adhesive, and a fiber-mixed pattern is formed on the surface. The plant fiber material and the adhesive may be mixed by dry mixing without the use of water, and may have a single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition in the thickness direction. Furthermore, by controlling the particle size and mixing state of the plant fiber material, a visual appearance including a fiber-mixed pattern can be formed on the surface of the compressed material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a plate-shaped molded member using a plant fiber material, and particularly to a plant fiber-based compressed material containing plant fiber materials such as bamboo fiber, fibers derived from sugarcane pulp, and recycled paper fiber.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a plant fiber-based compressed material formed by heating and pressing a material obtained by mixing a plant fiber material and an adhesive.

Background Art

[0003] In recent years, from the viewpoint of reducing environmental impact, molded articles using plant-derived materials have attracted attention as materials to replace petroleum-derived plastic materials. Since plant-derived materials are renewable resources and have a small environmental impact when discarded, their application to various uses such as packaging materials, building materials, furniture, and electronic device housings has been studied.

[0004] As a member using a plant material, for example, a compression molded article obtained by compressing a pulverized product of a plant material such as wood or bamboo is known. In such a technique, it has been proposed to soften components such as lignin and hemicellulose contained in the plant material by applying pressure while heating the plant pulverized product, and to use these components as adhesive components to bond the plant pulverized products together (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-61868).

[0005] However, such a molded article using a plant pulverized product has problems that the size and composition of the raw material particles tend to be non-uniform and it is difficult to make the structure inside the material uniform. Also, depending on the application, it may be difficult to ensure the stability of the material characteristics and the processing accuracy.

[0006] Furthermore, in materials using plant materials, it is desired to design not only the material characteristics but also the external appearance and texture by controlling the fiber structure and mixing state inside the material. However, in the conventional technology, such control of the material structure has not been sufficiently performed.

Prior Art Documents

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-61868 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] As mentioned above, conventional compression molded products using plant materials have the challenge of making it difficult to ensure the stability of material properties, as variations in the particle size and material composition of the raw materials can lead to non-uniform composition and structure within the material.

[0009] Furthermore, in materials using plant-based materials, it is desirable to improve material properties by appropriately controlling the fibrous structure within the material, as well as to enable the design of the material's surface appearance and texture.

[0010] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a plant fiber-based compressed material in which the material composition, including plant fiber material, can be uniformly controlled.

[0011] Furthermore, this invention aims to provide a plant fiber-based compressed material formed by heating and pressurizing a material obtained by dry-mixing plant fiber material and an adhesive.

[0012] Furthermore, this invention aims to provide a plant fiber-based compressed material that allows for the design of both material properties and appearance by controlling the fiber structure within the material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] A plant fiber-based compressed material according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising a plant fiber material including bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse-derived fiber, and recycled paper fiber, and an adhesive, and being a plate-shaped molded member formed by heating and pressurizing the plant fiber material and the adhesive in a mixed state.

[0014] Furthermore, in a plant fiber-based compression material according to one aspect of the present invention, the plant fiber material and the adhesive may be mixed by a dry mixing method without the use of water.

[0015] Furthermore, in a plant fiber-based compression material according to one aspect of the present invention, the compression material may have a single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition in the thickness direction.

[0016] Furthermore, in a plant fiber-based compressed material according to one aspect of the present invention, the density of the compressed material is 1000 to 1100 kg / m³ 3 That's fine.

[0017] Furthermore, in a plant fiber-based compression material according to one aspect of the present invention, the adhesive may contain plant-derived polylactic acid.

[0018] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the plant fiber-based compression material may be characterized in that the adhesive is contained in an amount of 5 parts by mass or more and 30 parts by mass or less per 100 parts by mass of the plant fiber material.

[0019] Furthermore, in a plant fiber-based compressed material according to one aspect of the present invention, the particle size and mixing state of the plant fiber material may be controlled to form a visual appearance including a fiber-mixed pattern on the surface of the compressed material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to this invention, a plant fiber-based compressed material mainly composed of plant-derived materials can be obtained by compressing a material composition containing plant fiber material by heating and pressurizing.

[0021] Furthermore, according to this invention, by dry mixing the plant fiber material and the adhesive, the mixing state of the materials can be stably controlled, and a compressed material having a homogeneous material structure can be obtained.

[0022] Moreover, according to the present invention, by adopting a single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition in the plate thickness direction, the compositional variation inside the material can be suppressed, and the stability of the material properties can be improved.

[0023] Also, according to the present invention, by setting the density of the compression material within a predetermined range, material properties with an excellent balance between strength and workability can be obtained.

[0024] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by using plant-derived polylactic acid as an adhesive, the amount of petroleum-derived materials used can be reduced, and a material with a low environmental load can be provided.

[0025] Also, according to the present invention, by setting the content of the adhesive with respect to 100 parts by mass of the plant fiber material within a predetermined range, while appropriately bonding the plant fibers to each other, the balance of the strength, workability, and appearance characteristics of the entire material can be improved.

[0026] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by controlling the particle size and mixing state of the plant fiber material, a visual expression including a fiber-mixed pattern can be formed on the surface of the compression material, and the design or texture of the material can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a plant fiber-based compression material according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional structure of the plant fiber-based compression material shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a diagram schematically showing the mixing state of the plant fiber material and the adhesive constituting the plant fiber-based compression material of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the material composition of the plant fiber-based compression material of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a process flow diagram showing an example of the manufacturing process of the plant fiber-based compression material of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of a process of dry-mixing a plant fiber material and an adhesive without using water. [Figure 7] This diagram schematically illustrates the process of compression molding a mixture of plant fiber material and adhesive by heating and pressurizing it. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a process in which the surface of a compressed material after compression molding is processed using a cutting tool. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a comparison between a conventional fiber material mixing process and the dry mixing process of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a product using the plant fiber-based compressed material of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a product using the plant fiber-based compressed material of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are examples for understanding the present invention concretely, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or improvements based on the technical concept of the present invention, and such modifications or improvements are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. The details of the description of the embodiments of this invention are as follows: Embodiment 1: Plant fiber-based compressed material (material) Embodiment 2 Method for manufacturing plant fiber compressed material Embodiment 3: Dry mixing technology for plant fiber materials Embodiment 4 Compression molding process Embodiment 5 Surface treatment method Embodiment 6 Design control material Embodiment 7: Use of Recycled Materials

[0029] <Description of plant fiber-based compressed material (material) as Embodiment 1> Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a plant fiber-based compression material 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of the compression material. The plant fiber-based compression material 10 according to this embodiment is a material formed by heating and pressurizing a material containing plant fiber material and adhesive, and can be configured as a plate-like material.

[0030] Examples of plant fiber materials used in this embodiment include bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse fiber (hereinafter referred to as "bagasse fiber"), and recycled paper fiber. These plant fiber materials can be used individually, but by using a combination of multiple types, the mechanical properties, processability, and appearance characteristics of the material can be adjusted.

[0031] For example, bamboo fibers contribute to improving material strength due to their relatively high rigidity, while bagasse fibers contribute to homogenizing the material structure due to their lightweight properties and excellent fiber dispersibility. Furthermore, recycled paper fibers can be used as recycled materials, contributing to reduced material costs and resource recycling.

[0032] As an adhesive, it is preferable to use a plant-derived resin, for example, a biomass resin such as polylactic acid (PLA) can be used. This makes it possible to increase the biomass-derived content of the material and provide a material that contributes to reducing the environmental burden.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the compression material 10 according to this embodiment can have a single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition in the thickness direction. By adopting such a structure, variations in the composition within the material can be suppressed, and the mechanical properties and processability can be stabilized.

[0034] The density of the compressed material according to this embodiment is, for example, 800 to 1300 g / m³. 3 It can be set within this range. By setting the density within this range, it is possible to obtain material properties that facilitate post-processing such as cutting and surface treatment while ensuring the rigidity and strength of the material.

[0035] <Description of a method for manufacturing a plant fiber-based compressed material as Embodiment 2> Figure 5 is a process flow diagram showing an example of the manufacturing process for a plant fiber-based compressed material according to one embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing method according to this embodiment includes a plant fiber material preparation step, an adhesive preparation step, a mixing step for mixing these, and a compression molding step for heating and pressurizing the mixed material.

[0036] As plant fiber materials, bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse fiber, and recycled paper fiber can be used. These fiber materials can be adjusted to a predetermined particle size using, for example, a crusher, defibrator, or mill.

[0037] The particle size distribution of plant fiber materials affects the density, strength, and appearance characteristics of the compressed material, and can therefore be set appropriately depending on the application. For example, by adjusting the fiber length to a range of 0.5 mm to 5 mm, a homogeneous material structure can be formed while maintaining the entanglement of the fibers. Furthermore, by combining and mixing fiber materials of different particle sizes, it is possible to increase the packing density inside the material.

[0038] Powdered or granular resin materials can be used as adhesives. For example, by using plant-derived resins such as polylactic acid (PLA), the biomass-derived proportion of the overall material can be increased.

[0039] The amount of adhesive can be determined considering the strength and processability of the material. For example, approximately 5 to 30 parts by mass of adhesive can be added to 100 parts by mass of plant fiber material.

[0040] <Description of the dry mixing technology for plant fiber materials as Embodiment 3> Figure 6 schematically shows the dry mixing process for mixing plant fiber material and adhesive. In this invention, it is preferable to mix the plant fiber material and adhesive in a dry state without using water.

[0041] By employing a dry mixing process, adhesive particles can be dispersed while maintaining the fibrous structure contained in the plant fiber material. This allows for a more uniform composition within the material.

[0042] Furthermore, since this invention mixes plant fiber material and adhesive in a dry state without using water, the drying process required in wet mixing can be omitted. This simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces energy consumption during manufacturing. In addition, while conventional paper molding technology generally uses large amounts of water, this invention employs a waterless material mixing method, making it an environmentally friendly material manufacturing method from the standpoint of reducing water resource consumption.

[0043] For dry mixing, devices such as ribbon mixers, rotary drum mixers, or high-speed mixers can be used. By using these devices, the plant fiber material and adhesive can be uniformly dispersed. Furthermore, by employing dry mixing, it is possible to mold the material while maintaining the porous structure of the plant fiber material. As a result, the resulting compressed material can function as a material that has not only mechanical strength but also heat insulation or sound absorption properties. Moreover, unlike conventional wet papermaking based on papermaking technology, the compression molding method of this invention does not involve slurring the material before molding, but rather compresses the plant fiber material as is, thus having the advantage of being able to form relatively thick materials.

[0044] <Description of the compression molding process as Embodiment 4> Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the compression molding process of the present invention. The dry-mixed material is placed between the upper and lower molds of the compression molding apparatus 100 and compressed by heating and pressurizing.

[0045] The heating temperature can be set according to the softening or melting temperature of the adhesive. For example, in this embodiment, it is preferable to heat the material in a temperature range of 110°C or lower, from the viewpoint of suppressing thermal discoloration of the plant fiber material. For example, by heating in a temperature range of about 90 to 110°C, the adhesive can be softened and compression molding can be performed while suppressing the yellowing of the plant fiber material. The heating temperature can be set appropriately depending on the type of adhesive used or its softening temperature.

[0046] The applied pressure can be set according to the material composition and desired density. For example, by applying pressure of approximately 5 to 30 MPa, a compressed material integrating plant fiber material and adhesive can be formed.

[0047] By applying heat and pressure in this manner, the adhesive softens or melts, bonding the plant fiber materials together and obtaining a plate-shaped compressed material.

[0048] <Description of surface treatment method as Embodiment 5> Figure 8 shows the surface processing steps for a compression-molded material. In this embodiment, the surface of the compressed material can be processed using a cutting tool such as a rotary blade.

[0049] For example, the following processing can be performed on the surface of the compression material. ·Surface polishing ·Grooving • Chamfering ·Curved surface processing

[0050] Through this processing, the material can be shaped into a form suitable for use as furniture components, building interior materials, or display components.

[0051] <Description of the design control material as Embodiment 6> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a characteristic fiber pattern can be formed on the surface of the compressed material by adjusting the particle size and mixing state of the plant fiber material.

[0052] This fibrous pattern possesses a visual appearance unique to natural materials, and when applied to furniture, building interior materials, etc., it can improve the design and texture of the material.

[0053] <Explanation of the use of recycled materials as Embodiment 7> In this invention, recycled materials such as recycled paper fibers can be used as plant fiber materials.

[0054] This makes it possible to effectively utilize waste paper resources and provide environmentally friendly materials that can be used as resource-recycling materials.

[0055] Figures 10 and 11 show examples of product forms formed using the plant fiber-based compressed material of the present invention. The compressed material of the present invention can be processed into various shapes as a sheet material and can be used in products that take advantage of its appearance and surface pattern. For example, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, this compressed material can be processed to form chairs, tables, signboards or display members, and even audio members. Furthermore, in the compression molding method of the present invention, since the plant fiber material is compressed in a dry state, it is possible to form relatively thick materials depending on the application, and it can be formed, for example, as a thick plate-like material.

[0056] Furthermore, while Figures 10 and 11 show several product examples, such as examples of chair and table forms, the compressed material of this invention is not limited to these shapes and can be used as a component material for various products such as furniture, interior materials, display fixtures, or building components.

[0057] Furthermore, because the compressed material of this invention has a fiber-mixed pattern on its surface derived from the particle size and mixing state of the plant fiber material, the appearance of the product can exhibit the texture and appearance unique to natural materials.

[0058] The above embodiments are merely preferred examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Various modifications, substitutions, additions, or omissions can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0059] For example, plant fiber materials are not limited to bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse-derived fiber, and recycled paper fiber; various plant-derived fibers such as wood fiber, hemp fiber, kenaf fiber, pulp fiber, and rice straw fiber can also be used. Furthermore, these plant fiber materials can be used individually, or multiple types can be mixed in any proportion.

[0060] Furthermore, the adhesive material is not limited to polylactic acid; plant-derived resins, thermoplastic resins, or combinations thereof can also be used. In addition, the blending ratio, particle size, or dispersion state of the adhesive can be appropriately changed according to the desired material properties, density, or processability.

[0061] Furthermore, the material manufacturing method of this invention is not necessarily aimed solely at cost reduction, but is positioned as a material manufacturing technology designed from the perspectives of structural control of plant fiber materials, reduction of water resource usage, and improvement of design freedom for the appearance of the material. Therefore, the mixing method of plant fiber material and adhesive, heating conditions, pressurizing conditions, and molding conditions can be appropriately changed according to the manufacturing equipment, material properties, or product application.

[0062] Furthermore, the shape, dimensions, thickness, and surface treatment method of the compression material can be changed according to its application, such as furniture components, building components, or display components. Moreover, not all of the multiple components described in the above embodiment are necessarily required; some components can be omitted or combined with other components. [Industrial applicability]

[0063] The plant fiber-based compressed material of this invention is an environmentally friendly material mainly composed of plant-derived materials and can be used in a wide range of applications such as furniture, building interior materials, display fixtures, signboards, display components, packaging materials, and various product components.

[0064] Furthermore, because the plant fiber-based compressed material of this invention has a unique surface pattern and texture derived from natural fiber materials, it can be suitably used in product fields where design is important, such as furniture, interior materials, display components, and design products.

[0065] Furthermore, since the material of this invention can utilize recycled materials such as recycled paper fibers, it can be used as a resource-recycling material and can be widely used as a material for environmentally friendly products.

Claims

1. Plant fiber materials including bamboo fiber, sugarcane bagasse-derived fiber and recycled paper fiber, Includes adhesive, It consists of a plate-shaped molded member formed by heating and pressurizing a mixture of the plant fiber material and the adhesive. A plant fiber-based compressed material characterized by the following features.

2. The plant fiber material and the adhesive Waterless dry mixing It is characterized by being a mixture of the following. The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

3. The compression material In the thickness direction A single-layer structure having a substantially uniform material composition It is characterized by being The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

4. The density of the compression material is 1000-1100 kg / m3 It is characterized by being The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

5. The adhesive Characterized by containing plant-derived polylactic acid. The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

6. With respect to 100 parts by mass of the aforementioned plant fiber material, The adhesive It is characterized by containing 5 parts by mass or more and 30 parts by mass or less. The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

7. By controlling the particle size and mixing state of the aforementioned plant fiber material, A visual appearance including a fibrous pattern is formed on the surface of the compressed material. Characterized by The plant fiber-based compressed material according to claim 1.

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