Method for producing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material and composite material obtained by the method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material, comprising the steps of: obtaining a fibrous mixture comprising defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds (S1); mixing (S2) the fibrous mixture with a resin to form a composite mixture; and Curing (S3) the composite mixture, thereby forming the lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material. A preferred application of this manufacturing method is the production of fiberboard such as MDF.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fiber-based composite material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fiber-based composite material comprising fibers bonded by an adhesive comprising a protein source and a resin.

Background Art

[0002] In known manufacturing methods that utilize an adhesive that is a resin or an adhesive containing a resin, the adhesive portion cures from a liquid state to a solid state. The adhesive can cure by a phase change, or by chemical or physicochemical changes in the adhesive, or by loss of water to the air or another part of the composite material.

[0003] Adhesive compositions are widely used in the wood products industry to manufacture composite materials such as chipboard, fiberboard, and related composite wood products. Adhesive compositions are also used in the manufacture of engineered wood composites. Traditionally, these wood composites have been manufactured using urea formaldehyde (UF) resins or phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins. More recently, polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) has been used in the manufacture of these composite materials. UF resins, PF resins, and PMDI are made from petroleum-based raw materials and may require high temperature conditions to promote curing. For example, while applying pressure to the mixture to form the composite material, the resin-wood mixture is heated to a temperature above 100°C and often above 200°C.

[0004] Many adhesives used in the composite materials industry, particularly in biomaterials, are water-based. In this situation, water functions as a main component for dissolving or dispersing the adhesive components. For example, urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesives are often provided in the form of a solution.

[0005] The production of fiberboards such as medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is one of the main applications of the method for producing fiber-based composite materials. Other types of fiberboards such as medium-density fiberboard (MDF), high-density fiberboard (HDF), low-density fiberboard (LDF), and ultra-low density fiberboard (ULDF) are generally obtained from lignocellulosic materials, especially wood, according to the methods summarized below.

[0006] The first step in the fiberboard (e.g., MDF, HDF, LDF, or ULDF) process is the treatment of wood, which usually includes debarking, crushing the logs into chips, and a chip / bark treatment system. In this step, the wood chips are separated from stones and other contaminants. The next step is the preparation of fibers, which involves treating the wood chips with a chip washer, steam bin, preheater, and defibrating devices such as a refiner or defibrator. In the steam bin, the wood chips are heated with steam to a temperature of about 80 - 95 °C, conveyed by a plug screw, the water is squeezed out of the chips, and then they are put into the preheater. In the preheater, the chips are heated to a temperature of about 160 °C, the fibers become soft and are easier to separate. Next, the softened chips are transported and introduced (usually via a screw) into the defibrator, where they are crushed into fibers between two metal members (e.g., disks or plates) under a steam pressure of up to 8 bar. The fibers flow from the refiner together with steam into the so-called blow line, where the wood fibers are resin-treated. That is, a thermosetting resin is sprayed. The resulting fibers are dried, for example, with one or two drying cyclones and a Z-shifter. In the cyclone, the fibers are dried with hot flue gas or steam to achieve a moisture content of 5% - 10%. The Z-shifter cleans the contaminants of the fibers before the forming stage. In the forming stage, the resin-treated fibers are formed into a mat and enter a cold prepress before entering the hot press. The final stage is the processing, where the fiberboard is cut to the desired dimensions, cooled, and stacked before being shipped.

[0007] Such methods and industrial equipment that can be used to implement them are described, for example, in the following: "Wood-Based Panels - An Introduction for Specialists", COST Office, 2010, published by Brunel University Press, ISBN 978-1-902316-82-6, and Halvarsson, S., "Manufacture of straw MDF and fibreboard", Doctoral Thesis in Technology, Sundsvall, 2010.

[0008] In certain known fiber-based materials, wood fibers have been replaced by other natural fibers such as straw fibers (wheat, rice, or corn fibers). For example, US5663221 discloses making MDF boards using sunflower husks instead of wood fiber-based reinforcements. According to the method disclosed in this prior art document, the raw materials used follow similar procedures to those used in the manufacture of wood-based MDF. The objective of this prior art document is to reduce the energy consumption for the manufacture of MDF boards compared to the manufacture of wood-based boards.

[0009] WO00 / 06650 discloses a composite material obtained from a plant material containing fibers such as sunflower, rapeseed, soybean, etc. and a binder. However, this prior art document relates to a thermoplastic method.

[0010] In some of the known methods for manufacturing fiber-based composite materials, protein raw materials such as soybeans are used. More specifically, protein sources such as soy protein isolate or soybean flour are used in combination with a hardening agent.

[0011] US630699 discloses a soy-based adhesive resin comprising soy flour and a crosslinking agent, namely PF resin, and a method for manufacturing this adhesive. This method involves providing an aqueous solution of soy flour (an aqueous liquid, usually a dispersion of the powder in water), and adding a crosslinking agent to the solution under conditions effective to crosslink the soy flour so that an adhesive resin is formed. This adhesive can be used in the manufacture of fiberboard. More generally, composite products comprising particulate plant material and a soy-based adhesive resin are disclosed.

[0012] Similarly, WO2009 / 048598 discloses an adhesive for lignocellulosic composites comprising an aqueous mixture of protein, a polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin as a crosslinking agent, and a non-urea diluent (a low-volatility water-soluble compound that provides low viscosity in water).

[0013] WO2009 / 048598 discloses an adhesive for lignocellulosic composites comprising an aqueous mixture of protein, a polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin as a crosslinking agent, and a non-urea diluent (a low-volatility water-soluble compound that provides low viscosity in water).

[0014] However, methods using an aqueous solution in which such protein plant powder or wheat flour is dispersed in water together with a resin consume water and may cause problems with the viscosity of the adhesive. They may also cause problems with the manufacturing method, especially since an excessive amount of water may be brought to the fibers, which requires additional drying to obtain the desired amount of water brought to the fibers before pressing. Since such methods require the plant material to be ground and then the plant powder to be mixed with an aqueous liquid (such as water) to use an aqueous dispersion, they are also complex and costly. Whether the dispersion is carried out directly at the manufacturing site of the composite material or purchased from a supplier, it is an expensive product. When purchasing the dispersion, it is necessary to manage the shelf life of the dispersion, which can cause costs.

[0015] WO2016 / 141126 discloses a method for preparing a lignocellulose-based composite material bonded with an adhesive comprising a protein source and a curing agent, namely a PAE resin. According to this method, a powdered or "dry" (e.g., wheat flour) protein source is mixed with the lignocellulose material after the latter has been mixed with the curing agent (resin), and separately from that mixing.

[0016] Such a method is also not simple or cost-effective in that it requires the production or supply of plant powder and, in the latter case, the management of the powder's shelf life. Furthermore, ensuring good distribution of the powder in the composite material can be complex, especially in view of the possibility of powder sedimentation.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0017] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material that solves at least some of the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0018] The present invention relates to a method for producing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, comprising the following steps: · obtaining a fibrous mixture comprising a defibrated lignocellulose material and defibrated plant seeds; · mixing the fibrous mixture with a resin to form a composite mixture; and · curing the composite mixture, thereby forming the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material.

[0019] According to the method of the present invention, a fibrous mixture mainly composed of defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds is formed before being mixed with a resin (i.e., "resin-treated"). The fibrous mixture, on a dry basis, contains at least 40% w / w, preferably at least 60% w / w, more preferably 80% w / w of fibers. The defibrated plant seeds are seeds that have passed through a defibrator (e.g., Asplund method or Mason method). The defibrated plant seeds can be a source of fibers (fibrous particles) and / or non-fibrous particles having characteristics (length, diameter or cross-section, mechanical properties) different from those of the lignocellulosic material. In particular, the defibrated plant seeds can be a source of proteins that enhance the adhesiveness and mechanical properties of the adhesives used in the formed composite materials. Compared with the disclosure of known prior art documents, the method according to the present invention significantly reduces the amount of water used. In particular, no water is used to form plant flour (or meal) or protein dispersions.

[0020] Furthermore, the method of the present invention solves the viscosity problems that can occur with methods according to the prior art, which can be caused by the use of plant flour (or meal) dispersions. In the present invention, there is no need to manage the shelf life of such dispersions.

[0021] Advantageously, protein in powder form is not used (since defibrated seeds are used), thereby limiting the risk of sedimentation of the protein source during the method and improving the protein distribution within the composite material.

[0022] Compared with composite materials obtained by methods using plant powder dispersions, composite materials with better mechanical performance such as modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) can be obtained.

[0023] The step of obtaining the fibrous mixture can include the following: · Providing the lignocellulosic material and providing the plant seeds, ·Mixing the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds to thereby obtain a mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds, and ·Defibrating the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds.

[0024] In some embodiments of the method according to the present invention, the refining of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds is carried out in a single step and can be carried out directly at the manufacturing site of the composite material. This is cost-effective compared to prior art methods that require separate grinding or pulverization of the plant material.

[0025] The step of defibrating the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds can include steaming the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds before defibrating by a thermomechanical process or a pressure-release-based process.

[0026] The step of defibrating the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds can include: - Steaming the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds in a steam bin with steam to a temperature of 70°C to 150°C, preferably 80°C to 95°C; - Conveying the steamed mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds to a preheater and squeezing water from the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds before putting it into the preheater; - Preheating the squeezed mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds in a preheater to a temperature adapted to soften the fibers of the lignocellulosic material and facilitate their separation according to the lignocellulosic material; - Treating the preheated mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds in a refiner to thereby obtain a fibrous mixture.

[0027] Alternatively, the step of defibrating the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds can include: - Placing the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds in a chamber; - steaming a mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds; - increasing the pressure inside the chamber to a high pressure; and - discharging the lignocellulosic mixture from the orifice of the chamber to atmospheric pressure.

[0028] In the step of providing the lignocellulosic material, the lignocellulosic material may be in a separate form such as chips.

[0029] The fibrous mixture can contain the lignocellulosic material and plant seeds in a weight ratio of 40:60 to 99:1, preferably 80:20 to 95:5.

[0030] The composite mixture can contain the following: - an amount of defibrated lignocellulosic material of 40% to 99%, preferably 50% to 95%, more preferably 80% to 95%, for example 84% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, and - an amount of defibrated seeds of 1% to 60%, preferably 5% to 40%, more preferably 5% to 20% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture.

[0031] The resin can represent 0.1% to 20%, preferably 0.3% to 5%, more preferably 0.5% to 3%, for example 0.9% to 1.6% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture.

[0032] The step of mixing the fibrous mixture with the resin can include resin-treating the fibrous mixture with the resin in a blower line.

[0033] The step of curing the composite mixture can include the following steps: - drying the resin-treated fibrous mixture to a moisture content of 0% to 20%, preferably 5% to 10%, and forming the dried resin-treated fibrous mixture into a mat, - pressing the mat (S33) to obtain a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material.

[0034] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a fiberboard (fiber board). It includes the above steps and further includes cooling and sawing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, thereby forming a fiberboard.

[0035] The present invention also relates to a fiberboard obtained by such a method.

[0036] The method of the present invention can further include the step of adding an amine compound to the resin or fibrous mixture. The amine compound is preferably one of urea, methylurea, polyurea, polyvinylamine, melamine, polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanoldiamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and hexamine. The added amine compound represents 0% to 25%, preferably 0% to 10%, more preferably 2% to 10% of the weight of the total dry matter of the composite mixture.

[0037] The method of the present invention can further include the step of adding an additive to the resin or fibrous mixture. The additive is at least one of: wax, metal salt, vegetable oil, fatty acid, silicone, pH adjuster (acid or base), polyol (e.g., glycerol), tannin, lignin, amino acid (e.g., lysine), metal oxide (e.g., MgO, ZnO, TiO2, Fe2O3, Al2O3, SiO2), starch, flame retardant (e.g., ammonium (poly)phosphate, borate). The additive can represent 0% to 20%, preferably 0% to 10%, more preferably 0.1% to 3% of the weight of the total dry matter of the composite mixture.

[0038] The method of the present invention can also further include the step of adding an additive (e.g., wax, dye (pigment), flame retardant) to the lignocellulose material and / or plant seeds before the fibrillation step.

[0039] The lignocellulosic material can be wood, corn stover, coconut husk, cotton stalk, flax, grass, hemp, kenaf, wheat straw, bagasse, oil palm trunk, bamboo, or a mixture of two or more thereof. When the lignocellulosic material contains wood, the wood can include at least one of pine wood, spruce wood, birch wood, and beech wood.

[0040] Plant seeds can be provided in the form of seed meal, preferably in the form of seed meal pellets, before being defibrated. The plant seeds are advantageously seeds of oil and / or protein, preferably defatted oil and protein seeds.

[0041] The plant seeds can be plant seeds belonging to one or several of the following families, genera, and species: - Palmae, for example: · Attalea, · Elaeis, and · Carthamus, for example Carthamus tinctorius, - Asteraceae, for example: · Helianthus, for example Helianthus annuus, - Brassicaceae, for example: · Brassica, for example Brassica napus, Brassica juncea, Brassica nigra, Brassica rapa, Brassica carinata, and · Camelina, for example, Camelina Sativa, - Cannabaceae, for example: · Cannabis, for example Cannabis sativa, - Fabaceae, for example: · Genus Glycine, such as Glycine max, · Genus Lupinus, and · Genus Pisum, such as Pisum sativum, - Family Linaceae, such as: · Genus Linum, such as Linum usitatissimum, - Family Malvaceae, such as: · Genus Gossypium, as well as - Family Poaceae, such as: · Genus Avena, such as Avena sativa, · Genus Eleusine, such as Eleusine coracana · Genus Hordeum, such as Hordeum vulgare · Genus Oryza, such as Oryza sativa, Oryza glaberrima, · Genus Panicum, such as Panicum miliaceum, · Genus Sorghum, such as Sorghum bicolor, · Genus Triticum, such as Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, · Genus Zea, such as Zea mays.

[0042] The resin can be selected from the following: - Polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin, polyalkylene polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin, itaconic acid-based polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin resin and / or amine polymer-epichlorohydrin resin, - Epoxy resin, such as bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin, - Isocyanate resins, such as polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI), - Urea-formaldehyde resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins, melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins, phenol-formaldehyde resins, resorcinol-formaldehyde resins, furfural, propional, butyraldehyde, succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, dimethoxyethanal, glyoxylic acid, glycolaldehyde, vanillin and other resins based on formaldehyde or other aldehydes, - Polyurethane-based resins, - Polyacid-based resins, such as those based on maleic anhydride or acetic acid, - Acrylate-based resins or methacrylate-based resins, such as poly(methyl methacrylate), - Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-acrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-methacrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol, carboxylated vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol.

[0043] Preferred resins are selected from polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins, polyalkylene polyamine-epichlorohydrin resins, itaconic acid-based polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin resins and / or amine polymer-epichlorohydrin resins, preferably PAE resins.

[0044] Using non-formaldehyde resins (e.g., PAE resins) reduces or eliminates the release of formaldehyde.

[0045] The present invention also relates to a fibrous mixture comprising lignocellulosic material fibers and defibrated plant seeds.

[0046] The present invention also relates to a composite mixture comprising such a fibrous mixture and a resin. The composite mixture can further comprise an amine compound and / or at least one additive which is: a wax, a metal salt, a vegetable oil, a fatty acid, a silicone.

[0047] The present invention also relates to a composite mat formed from such a composite mixture.

[0048] The present invention also relates to a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material comprising a fibrous mixture and a resin as described above. The fibrous mixture forms a reinforcing material and an adhesive for the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, and the resin, in its cured state, forms or is part of the matrix of the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material.

[0049] The present invention finally relates to a fiberboard panel made of the disclosed lignocellulose fiber-based composite material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Other features and advantages of the present invention will also become apparent from the following description.

[0051] By way of non-limiting example, in the accompanying drawings given:

[0052]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

[0053] FIG. 1 shows the main steps of the method according to the present invention. In the step of obtaining a fibrous mixture (S1), a mixture containing defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds is obtained.

[0054] The term "resin" refers to an adhesive, binder, crosslinking agent or curing agent in liquid or solid form.

[0055] The lignocellulosic material means a material substantially containing (or containing a significant proportion of) lignocellulosic fibers. This includes plants or parts of plants. The lignocellulosic material can be, in particular, wood (for example, pine wood, spruce wood, birch wood, or beech wood). Other types of lignocellulosic materials can be used in the present invention as an alternative or supplement to wood, for example, corn stover, coconut shells, cotton stalks, flax, grass, hemp, kenaf, wheat straw, bagasse, oil palm trunks, bamboo, or mixtures thereof. The lignocellulosic material can be provided in raw form or in a converted form. Usually, wood is provided in the form of chips.

[0056] The seeds used in the method of the present invention are preferably oil and / or protein seeds.

[0057] For example, the plant seeds are seeds of plants belonging to one or several of the following: palm, safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, canola (rapeseed), mustard (mustard greens, black mustard, Brassica rapa, Abyssinian mustard), camelina (Camelina sativa), hemp (cannabis), soybean, lupinus, pea, flax, cotton, cereal straw (e.g., corn, rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, oats), preferably sunflower.

[0058] The seeds (especially oilseed grains) may be defatted (i.e., deoiled) before processing. The seeds can be provided especially in the form of seed meal, preferably in the form of seed meal pellets.

[0059] The seed meal pellets are prepared from ground or pressed seeds (optionally shelled), producing meal which is pressed to extract some or most of the oil from the seeds, forming a press cake. The remaining oil (e.g., the press cake obtained from sunflower seeds contains 15 - 20% oil) can be extracted partially or wholly from the press cake of the oilseed grains. A solvent can be used to extract the remaining oil. For example, hydrophobic solvents such as pentane and / or hexane can be used. Water-soluble solvents such as alcohol (e.g., ethanol) can also be used. When using such organic solvents, the oil content remaining in the seed meal is low (e.g., 0.1 - 4 wt% based on the total weight of the press cake). The oilseed grain meal has a protein content of 15% - 60% w / w, preferably 20% - 50% w / w, more preferably 30% - 50% w / w.

[0060] Plant seeds, which can be in the form of seed meal or seed meal pellets, have, on a dry matter basis, an oil content in the range of 0.1% to 4% w / w (measured by the Soxhlet method (ISO 734:2016)) and a protein content in the range of 15% to 60% w / w, preferably 30% to 50% w / w, more preferably 30% to 50% w / w on a dry matter basis (measured in accordance with French standard NF EN Iso 16634 (2008)), which is advantageous.

[0061] Preferred seed meal pellets are rapeseed or sunflower seed meal pellets, more preferably sunflower seed meal pellets.

[0062] Information on oilseed processing technology is described, for example, in Laisney, J., 1984, L’huilerie moderne. Compagnie Francaise pour le Developpement des Fibres Textiles (CFDT), ISBN 2-905157-00-3. Information on sunflower meal is described, for example, in Sunflower Seed Preparation and Oil Extraction, Etienne Le Clef and Timothy Kemper, published in Sunflower, 2015, pages 187-226, AOCS Press., ISBN 978-1-893997-94-3.

[0063] The lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds are defibrated and mixed to form a fibrous mixture. Defibration generally relates to the conversion of the material into fibrous components by a defibration process. In the case of plant seeds, defibration converts the plant seeds into smaller-sized components such as fibrous components (fibrous particles) and / or non-fibrous components (non-fibrous particles).

[0064] Defibration can be carried out according to several steps illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 described below. There are two main methods for performing the S1 step of obtaining the fibrous mixture, which will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

[0065] The fibrous mixture contains a lignocellulosic material and plant seeds in a weight ratio of 50:50 to 99:1, preferably 80:20 to 95:5.

[0066] Next, an S2 step of mixing the obtained fibrous mixture with a resin is performed. This step can be carried out in a blowing line that sprays the resin, preferably a thermosetting resin, onto the fibrous mixture. After this step, a composite mixture is obtained. The amount of the resin to be sprayed is preferably such that the resin (i.e., the dry matter of the resin) represents 0.1% to 20%, preferably 0.3% to 5%, more preferably 0.5% to 3% of the total dry matter weight of the composite mixture. In addition to the fibrous mixture and the resin, the composite mixture can contain an amine compound and / or an additive. The amine compound is preferably one of urea, methylurea, polyurea, polyvinylamine, melamine, polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanoldiamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine. The additive is at least one of wax, metal salt, vegetable oil, fatty acid, silicone.

[0067] The amine compound may be added to the fibrous mixture before being treated with the resin, or may be added to the resin before being mixed with the fibrous mixture. Preferably, the amine compound is added to the resin before being mixed with the fibrous mixture. The amount of the amine compound added is such that the amine compound may represent 0% to 25%, preferably 0% to 10%, more preferably 2% to 10% of the total dry matter weight of the composite mixture (i.e., the fibrous mixture, the resin, the amine compound, and the additive).

[0068] The additive(s) may be added to the fibrous mixture before resin treatment or may be added to the resin before being mixed with the fibrous mixture. Preferably, the additive(s) are added to the fibrous mixture before the resin treatment step. The amount of the additive may be such that the additive represents 0% to 20%, preferably 0% to 10%, and more preferably 0.1% to 3% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture (i.e., the fibrous mixture, resin, amine compound, and additive).

[0069] In the next curing step S3, the composite mixture obtained after mixing the fibrous mixture with the resin is cured. In this step, the curing agent (i.e., essentially the resin) is cured by cross-linking of the polymer chains. The result of this step is a composite material, which can be further processed to form a final product such as a fiberboard. An exemplary embodiment of the curing step S3 including several steps and optional steps for providing a fiberboard will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.

[0070] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a first exemplary embodiment of step S1 of obtaining a fibrous mixture containing defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds. A lignocellulosic material (e.g., wood chips) and a plant seed (e.g., an oil and protein seed such as sunflower seed meal pellets) are provided (S11). According to this first embodiment, the lignocellulosic material is defibrated (step S12 of defibrating the lignocellulosic material). In parallel, the plant seeds are defibrated (step S13 of defibrating the plant seeds).

[0071] Step S12 of defibrating the lignocellulosic material and step S13 of defibrating the plant seeds are performed independently. These steps may be performed at the same production site or at different independent production sites. The defibrated lignocellulosic material and the defibrated plant seeds are mixed (step S14 of mixing) to form a homogeneous fibrous mixture having a desired ratio of the lignocellulosic material to the plant seeds.

[0072] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a second exemplary embodiment of step S1 of obtaining a fibrous mixture containing a defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds.

[0073] A lignocellulosic material (e.g., wood chips) and plant seeds (e.g., oil and protein seeds such as sunflower seed meal pellets) are provided (S11). According to this second embodiment, the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds are mixed (step S15 of mixing) to form a so-called mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds. A step S16 of defibrating the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds is performed. In this step, the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds are defibrated together, thereby forming a homogeneous fibrous mixture.

[0074] Regardless of whether the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds are defibrated together according to the method of FIG. 3 or separately according to the method of FIG. 2, defibrillation can be performed by two selectable types of processes called the Asplund method and the Mason method, respectively.

[0075] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of step S16 of defibrating a mixture of a lignocellulosic material and plant seeds according to the Asplund method.

[0076] The method of FIG. 4 includes a step of steaming a mixture of a lignocellulosic material and plant seeds in a steam bin with steam to a temperature of 70° C. to 110° C., preferably 80° C. to 95° C. In the subsequent step S162 of conveying and pressing, the steamed mixture is conveyed to a preheater. Before the mixture enters the preheater, water is pressed out from the mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds.

[0077] In the preheater, the pressed mixture of the lignocellulosic material and the plant seeds is preheated (S163). The preheating temperature depends on the preheated mixture and essentially depends on the lignocellulosic material of the mixture. More specifically, the preheating temperature must be adapted to soften the fibers of the lignocellulosic material and facilitate subsequent defibrillation.

[0078] Next, an S164 process is performed to process the mixture with a refiner, also called refining.

[0079] The refiner includes one or more disks and plates attached to respective opposing faces of refiner disks. The plates and / or disks are rotatable. The preheated mixture is provided near the center of the plates and disks and is subject to centrifugal force that propels it outward, thereby moving it substantially radially from the inner to the outer periphery of the plates and disks and between opposing refiner plates.

[0080] Refiner plates generally have a pattern of bars and grooves, as well as dams, which together provide repeated compression and shear actions on the introduced material (i.e., the mixture). The compression and shear actions acting on the material are intended to separate the fibers from the material, provide a certain degree of development of the fibrillation of the material, and produce fiber cutting that is usually not very desirable.

[0081] The refiner can be a high-concentration, medium-concentration, or low-concentration refiner. The refiner disks can operate at a rotational speed of 900 to 2300 revolutions per minute (RPM) when used for high-concentration refining and can operate at a low speed of 400 revolutions per minute when used for low-concentration refining.

[0082] After the fibrillation process, a fibrous mixture is obtained and can be further processed.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of an S16 process for defibrating a mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds according to the Mason method.

[0084] The method of FIG. 5 includes placing a mixture of lignocellulosic materials in a chamber. The chamber generally refers to a closed volume that can withstand high pressure. The steaming step S165 is performed, where the mixture of lignocellulosic materials and plant seeds is saturated with steam. The pressure in the chamber is pressurized to a pressure of 200 - 1000 kPa, for example, a pressure of 400 - 900 kPa, for example, a pressure of about 690 kPa (equivalent to approximately 100 pounds per square inch) for this step.

[0085] The step S166 of increasing the pressure is performed, where the pressure in the chamber is pressurized to a pressure of 2000 - 4000 kPa, for example, a pressure of 2500 - 3500 kPa, for example, a pressure of about 2800 kPa (equivalent to approximately 400 pounds per square inch).

[0086] The mixture in the chamber is defibrated by being suddenly released from the chamber to atmospheric pressure (step S167 of releasing to atmospheric pressure) through an orifice of the suddenly opened chamber.

[0087] After this step, a fibrous mixture is obtained and can be further processed.

[0088] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of the curing step S3 of FIG. 1. The curing step S3 represents a series of operations or steps performed after the resin treatment step S2 until a cured composite material is obtained.

[0089] An exemplary embodiment of the curing step will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 6, but the resin-treated fibrous mixture obtained after the resin treatment step S2 can be processed according to any suitable subsequent series of steps known in the prior art.

[0090] The curing process S3 shown in Fig. 6 includes a drying process S31, where the resin-treated fibrous mixture is dried to a moisture content of 0% to 20%, preferably 5% to 10%. A drying cyclone and a Z-shifter can be used to perform the drying process. The Z-shifter washes the contaminants of the fibers before the next process. Next, the dried resin-treated fibrous mixture is formed into a composite mat (forming process S32). The mat undergoes a pressing process (S33), which may include, for example, passing the mat through successive presses such as cold pre-pressing and then hot pressing. After pressing, the composite material is cured to its final state.

[0091] In any process, the composite material is processed and machined to form a fiberboard. These processes include cooling S34 and cutting S35 the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, thereby forming a fiberboard.

[0092] The method described above can be used, for example, to form high-density fiberboard panels (having a density of over 800 kg / m 3 ), medium-density fiberboard or MDF (having a density of 650 kg / m 3 to 800 kg / m 3 ), low-density fiberboard (having a density of 550 kg / m 3 to 650 kg / m 3 ), and ultra-low-density fiberboard (having a density of less than 550 kg / m 3 ).

Example

[0093] In the example described below, sunflower meal pellets were used. They are a by-product obtained from sunflower seeds after oil pressing and solvent (hexane) extraction. The sunflower meal pellets used in the following example were supplied by Saipol France and used as received.

[0094] The sunflower meal pellets contain about 38.8% wt of protein, have a moisture content of 11%, and have a size of about 5 × 15 to 30 mm.

[0095] The wood chips used in the following examples were made from pine in southeastern Germany.

[0096] The UF resin used as a reference was Kaurit 340S with 66% solids purchased from BASF.

[0097] The polyamine - epichlorohydrin (PAE CA 1920) resin was purchased from Solenis (Wilmington, Delaware) and used as received. The PAE CA 1920 resin is an aqueous solution with 20% wt polymer solids.

[0098] The water - repellent agent used was wax in Emulsion Hydro Wax 138 with 60% wt solids purchased from Sasol.

[0099] Ammonium sulfate with 35% wt solids was used as a catalyst for the UF resin.

[0100] Technical - grade granules of urea containing 46% wt nitrogen were supplied by Yara and used as received.

[0101] Preparation of a board (medium - density fiberboard) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention using pellets and PAE resin

[0102] Pelleted sunflower meal was first mixed with the wood chips to form a mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds.

[0103] Different contents of sunflower pellets (in the mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds) were tested from 0 (no mixture formed) to 28% w / w. The amount of pellets was calculated based on oven - dried wood (i.e., based on the solid material present in the wood).

[0104] The mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds was steamed in a steam bin at a temperature of 80 °C to 95 °C.

[0105] The steamed mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds was conveyed to a preheater (Andritz) via an integrated conveyor. An integrated drain-equipped continuous operating plug screw (MSD - multi-screw device) for squeezing water from the steamed mixture of lignocellulosic material and plant seeds conveyed the material to the preheater.

[0106] Using Andritz equipment, the material was fed to the preheater (or cooker) at a pressure of 9 bar with a certain throughput, whereby the holding time in the preheater was 3 - 4 minutes. (At a temperature of about 160 °C in the preheater, the fibers become soft and are easier to separate.) After plasticization, the material was continuously fed to a refiner via a discharge screw, where it was processed, i.e., defibrated according to a thermomechanical process.

[0107] The wax emulsion was applied through the supply screw of the refiner.

[0108] From the refiner, the mixture of defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds was discharged into a blow line through a tangential outlet, where PAE resin was injected separately. Thus, at the outlet of the blow line, a mixture was formed containing a mixture of defibrated lignocellulosic material, defibrated plant seeds, and resin.

[0109] The amount of PAE resin was calculated to have some given percentage by weight of solids from the resin, based on oven-dried wood.

[0110] In the case of boards prepared using urea, an aqueous urea solution (40% w / w) was mixed with the PAE resin. Based on oven-dried wood, urea was calculated to have 7% by weight of solids from the urea solution, and PAE was calculated to have 0.9% by weight of solids from the resin. The mixture of urea and PAE was injected from the blow line, and pellets (6% by weight, based on dry wood) were premixed with the wood chips.

[0111] After processing on the blower line, the resin-treated wood was flash-dried at 100 °C using a Schenkmann & Piel apparatus. The moisture content of the resin-treated fibers after the flash-drying process varied between 6.3% and 7.8%. Next, the fibers were transported to the mat construction process.

[0112] After this process, each mat (having a thickness of 390 - 450 mm) was prepressed at room temperature for 60 seconds with an individual one-stage daylight press at a pressure of 1 N / mm 2 of pressure.

[0113] Thereafter, each mat was pressed with a one-stage daylight hot press at a target density of 740 kg / m 2 and a target thickness of 11.5 mm. The boards were pressed with a HOFER hot press. The pressing temperature was 210 °C and the pressing time coefficient was 10 s / mm.

[0114] Preparation of boards using wood and liquid resin (comparative example)

[0115] The same process as described above was carried out on wood chips until the material discharged from the refiner to the blower line (i.e., defibrated wood instead of a mixture of defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds) was discharged.

[0116] A dispersion of micronized solvent-extracted sunflower meal (D10 = 6 μm; D50 = 37 μm; D90 = 138 μm) mixed with PAE resin was prepared. The micronized meal was first dispersed in water at a solids content of 17% by weight based on the total dispersion weight (this solids content was determined to achieve an adhesive with a low viscosity of about 200 mPa·s). PAE resin was added. The PAE was calculated to maintain a weight ratio of meal / PAE of 6.9. The pH was adjusted to 6.3 with 5 M NaOH solution.

[0117] The amount of resin was calculated to be 12 wt% or 15 wt% of solids from the adhesive (i.e., the mixture of micronized solvent-extracted sunflower meal and PAE resin) in the total solids weight of the mixture, based on oven-dried wood.

[0118] The moisture content of the resin-treated fibers after the drying process was 7.2%.

[0119] In the case of the boards prepared using urea, a dispersion of micronized solvent-extracted sunflower meal was prepared by mixing with urea granules until completely solubilized. The ratios of sunflower powder and urea were 44% w / w and 56% w / w, respectively. After mixing for 10 minutes, PAE resin was added and calculated so that the final meal / PAE ratio was 6.9. The pH was adjusted to 6.2 with 5M NaOH solution. The new solids were 29.5%, and the resin content was calculated to have 6% w / w micronized solvent-extracted sunflower meal, 7% w / w urea, and 0.9% w / w PAE resin.

[0120] The liquid sunflower-based adhesive was applied as a dispersion immediately after the refiner outlet to the blow line.

[0121] Next, after processing in the blow line, the resin-treated material was dried and pressed as described above for the preparation of the boards according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0122] For reference, the same process was carried out using UF resin. The UF resin was first mixed with 2 wt% ammonium sulfate as a catalyst based on dry UF. The filling amount of UF resin was calculated to have 15% solids (resin and catalyst) of the total solids weight based on oven-dried wood.

[0123] Evaluation of the properties of the boards (boards) Using European standards, the modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) (compliant with EN 310:1993), internal bond strength (IB) (EN 319:1993), and dimensional stability (EN 317:1993) were measured. Before the tests, the samples were conditioned in a room at 20 °C and 65% relative humidity. All samples were characterized using an Imal apparatus.

[0124] To evaluate the MOE and MOR, four samples with nominal dimensions of 400 × 50 × 11.5 mm were cut from the MDF panel. The MOE and MOR of the MDF board were determined by a static three-point bending test, values were calculated, and recorded for each sample. The values were for a board with a density of 700 - 800 Kg / m 3 in the dry state, and the MOR (25 N / mm 2 ) and MOE (2500 N / mm 2 ) of the MDF panel were compared with the industry minimum requirements.

[0125] To determine the internal bond strength IB and thickness swelling TS, six samples with nominal dimensions of 50.0 × 50.0 × 11.5 mm were cut from the test panels for each condition. The IB was calculated and recorded after the failure of each sample was tested. The TS, defined as the rate of increase in the thickness of the sample after immersion in water at room temperature for 24 hours, was measured before and after the 24-hour immersion. A low TS indicates high water resistance. The values were for an MDF board with a density of 700 - 800 Kg / m 3 and the IB was compared with the industry minimum requirement (0.6 N / mm 2 ) and the TS with the industry maximum requirement (15%).

[0126] Results and Discussion The effects of the pellets and PAE resin used in the formulation of the bio-based adhesive on the properties of the MDF board were investigated. Based on oven-dried wood, different amounts (w / w) of PAE resin were first evaluated while maintaining the same amount of 16 wt% of the total solids in the composite mixture.

[0127] The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0128]

Table 1

[0129] Defibrated sunflower meal pellets were used, but the MDF boards prepared without using resin had low mechanical performance and poor water resistance.

[0130] When PAE resin was injected into a mixture of defibrated wood and defibrated seeds (from pellets), both the internal bond strength and swelling characteristics of the MDF boards were improved. The internal bond strength increased with an increase in the amount of PAE. An internal bond strength exceeding 0.60 N / mm 2 was achieved with PAE of about 1.5% w / w or more. When 1.6% w / w of PAE was injected, a value of 0.66 N / mm 2 was reached, and when 2.4% w / w of PAE was injected, a value of 0.85 N / mm 2 was reached.

[0131] To evaluate the effect of the seed-to-PAE ratio, different amounts of pellets were tested.

[0132] Table 2 shows a comparison of the adhesion characteristics of bio-based adhesives containing different amounts of pellets with 1.6% w / w of PAE resin as a fixed amount.

[0133]

Table 2

[0134] PAE resin (1.6% w / w) injected into wood particles without sunflower pellets had low adhesiveness and insufficient water resistance. Adding pellets to the board formulation improved both the mechanical and swelling characteristics of the MDF boards.

[0135] Increasing the amount of pellets to 20% by weight resulted in an adhesion characteristic of 0.72 N / mm 2It was improved. The sample with 8% pellets had good water resistance, which decreased slightly with the increase in the amount of pellets. The boards prepared with 8 - 20% w / w pellets and 1.6% w / w PAE showed excellent mechanical properties and excellent water resistance compared to the boards prepared with UF resin.

[0136] In another test, micronized sunflower meal was dispersed into small particle sizes of 6 μm (D10), 30 μm (D50), and 180 μm (D90) to make MDF boards, and their properties were compared with those of the MDF boards obtained with meal pellets (Table 3).

[0137]

Table 3

[0138] The boards prepared from micronized sunflower meal mixed with PAE resin showed comparable internal bond strength and lower swelling properties (water resistance) compared to those prepared from the fibrous mixture according to the present invention.

[0139] The MOE and MOR of the boards prepared from micronized sunflower meal mixed with PAE resin were very low, with values of 2500 N / mm 2 and 16 N / mm 2 respectively.

[0140] When using pellets (12% w / w) and mixing with PAE resin (1.6% w / w), the MOE increased to 3561 N / mm 2 and the MOR increased to 26.8 N / mm 2 respectively.

[0141] The boards obtained by the method for manufacturing a lignocellulose fiber - based composite material according to the present invention have a fibrous mixture of defibrated lignocellulose material and defibrated plant seed fibers formed before resin treatment (without using a dispersion of protein material mixed with resin), and have better mechanical and water resistance than equivalent boards manufactured according to prior - art methods.

[0142] The influence of urea mixed in the formulation on the board properties was evaluated (Table 4).

[0143]

Table 4

[0144] When urea was added to the formulation of sunflower meal mixed with PAE, both MOE and MOR increased. The highest MOE and MOR values were obtained when the fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood and defibrated sunflower meal was mixed (resin-treated) with PAE and urea. Furthermore, when PAE and urea were mixed, a lower amount of PAE, 0.9% w / w instead of 1.6% w / w, could be used while maintaining the same swelling properties (water resistance) with the same bond strength and the same thickness.

[0145] Based on these results, it is shown that the use of a fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood and defibrated meal pellets, and a mixture of PAE and urea according to the method of the present invention is the best formulation for achieving good mechanical properties of fiberboards.

[0146] The applicant conducted another test. It was carried out in the same manner as above using an MDF board with a fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood and defibrated sunflower meal pellets, except that the fibrous mixture was mixed (resin-treated) with an aqueous resin containing 1.6% wt of PAE, 0.2% wt of gallic acid, 2% wt of glycerol, and 1% wt of wax. The resulting fiberboard had good mechanical properties after pressing at 10 seconds / mm.

[0147] Sunflower seeds are one of the preferred plant seeds that can be used in the present invention, but MDF boards were prepared from seeds of different oil and / or protein plants and their mechanical performances were compared (Table 5).

[0148]

Table 5

[0149]

Table 6

[0150] Sunflower meal pellets and pea seeds showed the highest internal bond strength compared to other plant-based proteins.

[0151] MDF boards were also prepared from a dispersion of micronized soy flour (meal) ground to small particle sizes of 15 μm (D10), 43 μm (D50), and 115 μm (D90), and their properties were compared with those obtained from MDF boards obtained from a fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood and defibrated soy meal pellets (Table 7).

[0152] The protein content of the soy flour was 48% w / w on a dry basis, and the oil content was 2% w / w on a dry basis.

[0153]

Table 7

[0154] Boards prepared from micronized soy flour (meal) mixed with PAE resin showed similar internal bond properties and equivalent swelling properties (water resistance) to those prepared according to the present invention from a fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood and defibrated soy flour (meal). However, the measured MOE and MOR of the boards showed higher values when using the fibrous mixture and mixing with PAE resin (resin treatment). These results are consistent with those obtained from sunflower meal pellets, and MDF boards prepared from a fibrous mixture containing defibrated wood, defibrated sunflower meal pellets, and PAE according to the present invention have better mechanical properties than equivalent boards manufactured according to prior art methods.

[0155] The MDF board was prepared from a dispersion obtained by grinding defatted rapeseed meal to a small particle size of 30 μm (D50), and its properties were compared with those obtained from an MDF board obtained from a fibrous mixture according to the invention, comprising defibrated wood and defibrated rapeseed meal pellets. The protein content of the rapeseed meal was 31% wt, the oil content was 1.5% wt, and the moisture content was 11% wt. The mechanical properties of MDF produced with a bio-based adhesive formulated with PAE (1.6% w / w) based on the rapeseed meal in dispersion or pellet form (12% w / w) were evaluated.

[0156] The results are also in agreement with those obtained from the above sunflower meal pellets and soybean flour (meal) pellets, indicating that the MDF boards prepared according to the invention have better mechanical properties than equivalent boards produced according to prior art methods using an aqueous dispersion of micronized seed meal and PAE resin.

Industrial Applicability

[0157] The present invention provides a method for manufacturing lignocellulose fiber-based composite materials, which has advantages in terms of cost and environmental friendliness (especially saving water and energy) compared to equivalent methods known in the prior art. A preferred use of such a manufacturing method is the production of fiberboards such as MDF. Thanks to the manufacturing method according to the invention, which uses defibrated plant seeds as a source of protein and fiber, provided by a fibrous mixture of defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds, the fiber-based composite material can have enhanced mechanical properties. In some embodiments, these properties can be further enhanced by the use of amine compounds and / or selected additives. The use of a mixture of defibrated lignocellulosic material and defibrated plant seeds has advantages not only in terms of economic, environmental and process simplicity, but also in terms of the properties of the final product. The present invention includes the following aspects: <Aspect 1> A method for manufacturing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, including the following steps: · Obtaining (S1) a fibrous mixture containing a defibrated lignocellulose material and defibrated plant seeds; · Mixing (S2) the fibrous mixture with a resin to form a composite mixture; and · Curing (S3) the composite mixture to thereby form the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material. <Aspect 2> The method according to Aspect 1, wherein the step of obtaining (S1) the fibrous mixture includes the following: · Providing a lignocellulose material and providing (S11) plant seeds; · Mixing (S15) the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds to thereby obtain a mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds; and · Defibrating (S16) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds. <Aspect 3> The method according to Aspect 2, wherein the step of defibrating (S16) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds includes steaming (S161, S165) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds before defibrating by a thermomechanical process or a pressure-release-based process. <Aspect 4> The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the composite mixture includes: - An amount of defibrated lignocellulose material of 40% to 99%, preferably 50% to 95%, more preferably 80% to 95%, for example 84% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, and - An amount of defibrated seeds of 1% to 60%, preferably 5% to 40%, more preferably 5% to 20% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, and an amount of resin of 0.1% to 20%, preferably 0.3% to 5%, more preferably 0.5% to 3%, for example 0.9% to 1.6% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture. <Aspect 5> The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the step of curing (S3) the composite mixture includes the following steps: - Drying (S31) the resin-treated fibrous mixture to a moisture content of 0% to 20%, preferably 5% to 10%, and forming (S32) the dried resin-treated fibrous mixture into a mat, - Pressing (S33) the mat to obtain the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material. <Aspect 6> Including the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, Further comprising cooling (S34) and cutting (S35) the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, A method for manufacturing a fiberboard. <Aspect 7> Further comprising the step of adding an amine compound to the resin or the fibrous mixture, The amine compound is preferably one of urea, methylurea, polyurea, polyvinylamine, melamine, polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanoldiamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, preferably urea, and hexamine, and The added amine compound represents 0% to 25%, preferably 0% to 10%, more preferably 2% to 10% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6. <Aspect 8> Further comprising the step of adding an additive to the resin or the fibrous mixture, The additive is at least one of wax, metal salt, vegetable oil, fatty acid, silicone, pH adjuster, polyol, tannin, lignin, amino acid, metal oxide, starch, dye, and flame retardant, and represents 0% to 20%, preferably 0% to 10%, more preferably 0.1% to 3% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7. <Aspect 9> The lignocellulose material is wood, corn stover, coconut shell, cotton stem, flax, grass, hemp, kenaf, wheat straw, bagasse, oil palm trunk, bamboo, or a mixture of two or more thereof, preferably wood. The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 8. <Aspect 10> The plant seeds are provided in the form of seed meal, preferably in the form of seed meal pellets, before being defibrated. The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 9. <Aspect 11> The fibrous mixture contains at least 40% w / w, preferably at least 60% w / w, more preferably 80% w / w of fibers on a dry basis. The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 10. <Aspect 12> The plant seeds are seeds of a plant belonging to one or several of the following families. The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 11: - Palmae, for example: · Attalea genus, · Elaeis genus, and · Bixa genus, for example Bixa orellana, - Asteraceae, for example: · Helianthus genus, for example Helianthus annuus, - Brassicaceae, for example: · Brassica genus, for example Brassica oleracea, Brassica rapa, Brassica juncea, Brassica napus, Brassica carinata, and · Camelina genus, for example Camelina sativa, - Family Cannabaceae, for example: · Genus Cannabis, for example Cannabis, - Family Fabaceae, for example: · Genus Glycine, for example soybean, · Genus Lupinus, and · Genus Pisum, for example pea, - Family Linaceae, for example: · Genus Linum, for example flax, - Family Malvaceae, for example: · Genus Gossypium, and - Family Poaceae, for example: · Zea mays, · Oryza sativa, Oryza glaberrima, · Hordeum murinum, · Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum, · Hordeum vulgare, · Sorghum bicolor, · Pennisetum glaucum, · Echinochloa crus-galli. 〈Aspect 13〉 The method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 12, wherein the resin is selected from the following: - Polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin, polyalkylene polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin, itaconic acid-based polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin resin and / or amine polymer-epichlorohydrin resin, - Epoxy resin, for example bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin, - Isocyanate resin, - Urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, furfural, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, dimethoxyethanal, glyoxylic acid, glycolaldehyde, vanillin and other resins based on formaldehyde or other aldehydes, - Polyurethane-based resin, - Polyacid-based resin, for example those based on maleic anhydride or acetic acid, - Acrylate-based resin or methacrylate-based resin, for example poly(methyl methacrylate), - Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-acrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-methacrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol, carboxylated vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol. 〈Aspect 14〉 A fibrous mixture comprising lignocellulosic material fibers and defibrated plant seeds, wherein the weight ratio of the lignocellulosic material to the plant seeds is from 40:60 to 99:1, preferably from 80:20 to 95:5. 〈Aspect 15〉 A lignocellulose fiber-based composite material comprising a resin and the fibrous mixture according to embodiment 14, wherein the fibrous mixture forms a reinforcing material and an adhesive for the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, and the resin forms or is part of the matrix of the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material in a cured state, A lignocellulose fiber-based composite material. <Embodiment 16> A fiberboard panel made of the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material according to embodiment 15.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, comprising the following steps: - Obtaining (S1) a fibrous mixture comprising a defibrated lignocellulose material and defibrated plant seeds; - Mixing (S2) the fibrous mixture with a resin to form a composite mixture; and - Curing (S3) the composite mixture, thereby forming the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, and the plant seeds are provided in the form of seed meal before being defibrated, method.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining (S1) the fibrous mixture comprises the following: - Providing a lignocellulose material and providing (S11) plant seeds; - Mixing (S15) the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds to thereby obtain a mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds; and - Defibrating (S16) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of defibrating (S16) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds comprises steaming (S161, S165) the mixture of the lignocellulose material and the plant seeds before defibrating by a thermomechanical process or a pressure-release-based process.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the composite mixture comprises the following: - An amount of defibrated lignocellulose material of 40% to 99% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, and - An amount of defibrated seeds of 1% to 60% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture, and an amount of resin of 0.1% to 20% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the range of the amount of the resin in the composite mixture is 0.5% to 3% of the total dry weight of the composite mixture.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the step of curing (S3) the composite mixture comprises the following steps: - Drying (S31) the composite mixture to a moisture content of 0% to 20% and forming (S32) the dried composite mixture into a mat, - Pressing (S33) the mat to obtain the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material.

7. Including the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising cooling (S34) and cutting (S35) the lignocellulose fiber-based composite material, method for manufacturing a fiberboard.

8. further comprising the step of adding an amine compound to the resin or the fibrous mixture, the amine compound being one of urea, methylurea, polyurea, polyvinylamine, melamine, polyethyleneimine (PEI), diethanoldiamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, and hexamine, and the added amine compound representing 2% to 25% by weight of the total dry matter of the composite mixture, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. further comprising the step of adding an additive to the resin or the fibrous mixture, the additive being at least one of wax, metal salt, vegetable oil, fatty acid, silicone, pH adjuster, polyol, tannin, lignin, amino acid, metal oxide, starch, dye, and flame retardant, and representing 0.1% to 20% by weight of the total dry matter of the composite mixture, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lignocellulosic material is wood, corn stover, coconut shell, cotton stem, flax, grass, hemp, kenaf, wheat straw, bagasse, oil palm trunk, bamboo, or a mixture of two or more thereof.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the lignocellulosic material is wood.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the plant seeds are provided in the form of seed meal pellets before being defibrated.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the fibrous mixture is dry matter and contains at least 40% w / w of fibers.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the plant seeds are seeds of plants belonging to one or several of the following families: - Palmae, - Asteraceae, - Brassicaceae, - Cannabaceae, - Fabaceae, - Linaceae, - Malvaceae, and - Poaceae.

15. The plant seeds are provided in the form of seed meal pellets before being defibrated, and the seed meal pellets are rapeseed or sunflower seed meal pellets. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the resin is selected from the following: - Polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin, polyalkylene polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin, itaconic acid-based polyamideamine-epichlorohydrin resin and / or amine polymer-epichlorohydrin resin, - Epoxy resin, - Isocyanate resin, - Urea-formaldehyde resin, melamine-formaldehyde resin, melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin, phenol-formaldehyde resin, resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, furfural, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, succinaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, dimethoxyethanal, glyoxylic acid, glycolaldehyde, vanillin and other resins based on formaldehyde or other aldehydes, - Polyurethane-based resin, - Polyacid-based resin, - Acrylate-based resin or methacrylate-based resin, - Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-acrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-methacrylic acid, ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol, carboxylated vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol.

17. A fibrous mixture comprising lignocellulosic material fibers and defibrated plant seeds, wherein the weight ratio of the lignocellulosic material to the plant seeds is from 40:60 to 95:

5.

18. A lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material comprising a resin and the fibrous mixture according to claim 17, wherein the fibrous mixture forms a reinforcing material and an adhesive for the lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material, and the resin forms or is part of the matrix of the lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material in a cured state. A lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material.

19. A fiberboard panel made of the lignocellulosic fiber-based composite material according to claim 18.

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