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Wood-Based Composites Center (WBC)

Center Overview

The Wood-Based Composites Center (WBC) advances the science and technology of wood-based composite materials. WBC promotes and coordinates research and education at multiple North American universities; educates and trains students for careers in the wood-based composites and adhesion industries; and provides intellectual exchange and interaction among professionals and students interested in the manufacture and performance of wood-based composites, wood material science, and wood adhesion.

Wood and wood products, which include timber, paper, biofuel, packaging, furniture, and more, have long been critical resources. Increasingly, policymakers and the public recognize that forest industries, whose main products are wood and wood products, play a key role in creating an Earth-friendly strategy for carbon sequestration and reduced fossil fuel reliance. The manufacture of wood products consumes far less fossil fuel than the manufacturing of other materials. Timber management, accelerated reforestation and afforestation, and the simultaneous transfer of carbon to durable wood products will play an essential role in carbon dioxide reduction and energy conservation. Central to the efficient utilization of timber resources is the science and technology of wood-based composite materials.

Universities

Oregon State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Fred Kamke
Professor and WBC Co-Director, Oregon State University
+1 541 737 8422
fred.kamke@oregonstate.edu

Linda Caudill
Managing Director, WBC Center
+1 540 231 7092
lcaudill@vt.edu

Charles Frazier
Professor and WBC Co-Director, Virginia Tech
+1 540 231 8318
cfrazier@vt.edu

Research Focus

WBC research themes are developed and updated by industry members. Research areas include:

Adhesive technology

Research focused on adhesive and adhesion is a mainstay of the WBC research agenda. This research theme focuses on understanding the interaction between wood and adhesives as well as fundamental knowledge that can support member efforts to develop new and improved resins or products.

Novel adhesive technology.
Performance.
Wood-adhesive interaction.

Alternate materials technology

Addressing the use of nontraditional materials or combinations of materials to produce wood-based composites. Use of alternate technologies may establish the viability of alternate raw materials for improved product performance and/or lower costs. Outcomes of research for this theme will support individual members' efforts to improve existing products, develop new products, or identify new markets.

New market development.
Raw materials.
Sourcing.

Impact of process

Portions of the manufacturing process can adversely affect wood quality and adhesive performance. The complexities of mechanical processing, moisture in wood, and pressing must be better understood to help manufacturers balance productivity and quality. Areas that could benefit from fundamental study include:

Dynamics of the extrusion process.
Effect of processing parameters on wood viscoelasticity.
Effect of refining technologies on fiber properties.
Emissions.
Hot pressing.
Impact of resin blending technology on adhesive consumption and product performance.
Influence of temperature and time during processing on adhesive bond performance.
Moisture.
More efficient use of key raw materials.
Novel process methodologies.
Reduced energy input into manufacturing of wood-based composites.

Improved performance and functionality

Addressing the fundamental study of products' functionality, improved short- or long-term performance, and evaluation methods. Projects focus on specific products or assembled systems and may address:

Functionality.
Improved performance and durability.
Newly developed products associated with coatings, treatments, insulation, etc.
Performance evaluation.

Awards

1624599

Phase II I/UCRC Oregon State U. Site: Center for Wood-Based Composites (WBC)

This project advances the utility, performance, and sustainability of the wood composite products used to build American homes and consumer products. The subject matter, composite materials derived from wood, is often overlooked because for the average person wood composites are as commonplace as trees themselves. However for the scientist, wood is an incredibly complex biomaterial for which contemporary scientific methods are now revealing insights that lead to better performance for the homeowner, improved efficiency for the industry, and greater sustainability for society. At Oregon State University, Department of Wood Science & Engineering, we believe a sustainable society must include timber products and the future requires a marriage between this ancient material and the most sophisticated scientific and technological methods. The IUCRC for Wood-Based Composites is a team effort among three critical partners: industry, federal government, and academia. The federal government joins the partners into a mutually beneficial collaboration that leverages resources and skills. The industry defines the ever-changing technological challenges, and guides the required research. Academia conducts the research with students that employ cutting edge methods within a practical context. At Oregon State University, we provide expertise for design of wood-based composites, manufacturing efficiency, and evaluation of product performance. Along with our partner, Virginia Tech, we provide industry-directed, pre-competitive research, and a pathway for students to become future leaders in sustainable U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and management positions. The science and technology of wood composites continually evolves as the industry adapts to changing economic cycles, legislative pressures, and raw material supplies. Consequently the goal is to advance knowledge in adhesives, adhesion, wood/adhesive interactions, and wood chemistry as these topics influence wood rheology, heat and mass transfer, and fracture mechanics while processing wood, manufacturing composites, and evaluating product performance. A parallel goal is to identify fundamental phenomena, and reduce them to definable quantities that may be described numerically for purposes of modeling, simulation, and performance prediction. At Oregon State University, we focus on the materials science of wood in the context of the design, manufacture and performance of wood-based composites. We offer expertise in various microscopy techniques (electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, micro X-ray computed tomography), composite manufacture, accelerated weathering, and numerical modeling to study adhesive bonding, as well as micro- and macro-scale product performance. Read More >

1624536

Phase II I/UCRC Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Center for Wood-Based Composites (WBC)

This project advances the utility, performance, and sustainability of the wood composite products used to build American homes and consumer products. The subject matter, composite materials derived from wood, is often overlooked because for the average person wood composites are as commonplace as trees themselves. However for the scientist, wood is an incredibly complex biomaterial for which contemporary scientific methods are now revealing insights that lead to better performance for the homeowner, improved efficiency for the industry, and greater sustainability for society. A sustainable society must include timber products and the future requires a marriage between this ancient material and the most sophisticated scientific and technological methods. This is a team effort among three critical partners: industry, federal government, and academia. The federal government joins the partners into a mutually beneficial collaboration that leverages resources and skills. The industry defines the ever-changing technological challenges, and guides the required research. Academia conducts the research with students that employ cutting edge methods within a practical context. At Virginia Tech, we provide expertise in polymer synthesis, adhesive characterization, and wood polymer chemistry. Along with our partner, Oregon State University, we provide industry-directed, pre-competitive research, and a pathway for students to become future leaders in sustainable U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and management positions. The science and technology of wood composites continually evolves as the industry adapts to changing economic cycles, legislative pressures, and raw material supplies. Consequently the goal is to advance knowledge in adhesives, adhesion, wood/adhesive interactions, and wood chemistry as these topics influence wood rheology, heat and mass transfer, and fracture mechanics while processing wood, manufacturing composites, and evaluating product performance. A parallel goal is to identify fundamental phenomena, and reduce them to definable quantities that may be described numerically for purposes of modeling, simulation, and performance prediction. At Virginia Tech, we focus on chemical transformations associated with composite production, which includes transformations of the adhesive and the wood. In the latter case, wood transformations include the generation of biogenic formaldehyde and understanding this process is a major industry goal that impacts compliance with federal emissions regulations. Read More >

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.