Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.0
4.7
Journals
Polymers
Special Issues
Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and...
share announcement

Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2025 | Viewed by 2021

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jyh-Horng Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: bio-based composites; wood modification; functional biomaterials; natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, wood and wood-based composites have garnered extensive attention due to their renewable, sustainable, and eco-friendly properties. With a growing global demand for sustainable development and green building materials, new technologies and approaches for utilizing these natural resources have become a focal point in both scientific research and the industry. This Special Issue, “Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability”, aims to compile and showcase the latest research findings on modification techniques and emerging applications of wood and its composites.

This Special Issue will explore physical, chemical, and biological methods for modifying wood and wood-based composites and how these modifications can enhance the materials’ performance, durability, and functionality. We are particularly interested in innovative techniques that improve the materials’ resistance to microbes, fire, water, and mechanical forces. Additionally, this Special Issue will delve into the applications of these materials in construction, furniture, packaging, the automotive industry, and beyond, as well as how they contribute to sustainable and eco-friendly advancements in these areas. Authors are welcome to submit their latest research on this topic in the form of original research or review articles.

Prof. Dr. Jyh-Horng Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wood and wood-based composites
  • environmentally friendly materials
  • modification
  • flame retardancy
  • physico-mechanical properties
  • sustainability
  • durability
  • environmental exposure

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 10146 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cellulose-Based Surfactants in Expandable Graphite Wood Coatings
by Tereza Jurczyková, Elena Kmeťová, František Kačík, Martin Lexa and Daniel Dědič
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2832; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192832 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 938
Abstract
This study deals with the design of modern environmentally friendly and non-toxic flame retardants based on expandable graphite 25 K + 180 (EG) modified by cellulose ethers (Lovose TS 20, Tylose MH 300, Klucel H) and nanocellulose (CNC) that are biocompatible with wood [...] Read more.
This study deals with the design of modern environmentally friendly and non-toxic flame retardants based on expandable graphite 25 K + 180 (EG) modified by cellulose ethers (Lovose TS 20, Tylose MH 300, Klucel H) and nanocellulose (CNC) that are biocompatible with wood and, therefore, are a prerequisite for an effective surfactant for connecting EG to wood. The effectiveness of the formulations and surfactants was verified using a radiant heat source test. The cohesion of the coating to the wood surface and the cohesion of the expanded graphite layer were also assessed. The fire efficiency of the surfactants varied greatly. Still, in combination with EG, they were all able to provide sufficient protection—the total relative mass loss was, in all cases, in the range of 7.38–7.83% (for untreated wood it was 88.67 ± 1.33%), and the maximum relative burning rate decreased tenfold compared to untreated wood, i.e., to 0.04–0.05%·s−1. Good results were achieved using Klucel H + EG and CNC + EG formulations. Compared to Klucel H, CNC provides significantly better cohesion of the expanded layer, but its high price increases the cost of the fireproof coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2110 KiB  
Article
Decay and Termite Resistance of Wood Modified by High-Temperature Vapour-Phase Acetylation (HTVPA), a Simultaneous Acetylation and Heat Treatment Modification Process
by Zhong-Yao Wang, Jin-Wei Xu, Jian-Wei Liu, Ke-Chang Hung, Tung-Lin Wu, Wen-Shao Chang and Jyh-Horng Wu
Polymers 2024, 16(11), 1601; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111601 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 747
Abstract
High-temperature vapour-phase acetylation (HTVPA) is a simultaneous acetylation and heat treatment process for wood modification. This study was the first investigation into the impact of HTVPA treatment on the resistance of wood to biological degradation. In the termite resistance test, untreated wood exhibited [...] Read more.
High-temperature vapour-phase acetylation (HTVPA) is a simultaneous acetylation and heat treatment process for wood modification. This study was the first investigation into the impact of HTVPA treatment on the resistance of wood to biological degradation. In the termite resistance test, untreated wood exhibited a mass loss (MLt) of 20.3%, while HTVPA-modified wood showed a reduced MLt of 6.6–3.2%, which decreased with an increase in weight percent gain (WPG), and the termite mortality reached 95–100%. Furthermore, after a 12-week decay resistance test against brown-rot fungi (Laetiporus sulfureus and Fomitopsis pinicola), untreated wood exhibited mass loss (MLd) values of 39.6% and 54.5%, respectively, while HTVPA-modified wood exhibited MLd values of 0.2–0.9% and −0.2–0.3%, respectively, with no significant influence from WPG. Similar results were observed in decay resistance tests against white-rot fungi (Lenzites betulina and Trametes versicolor). The results of this study demonstrated that HTVPA treatment not only effectively enhanced the decay resistance of wood but also offered superior enhancement relative to separate heat treatment or acetylation processes. In addition, all the HTVPA-modified wood specimens prepared in this study met the requirements of the CNS 6717 wood preservative standard, with an MLd of less than 3% for decay-resistant materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop