The primary raw material for the production of wood fibre insulation panels is softwood. In comparison to hardwood, long fibres can be obtained through established defibration processes, which represents a technological advantage in terms of mechanical properties (Stokke et al. 2014). The restructuring of European forests as a result of climate change will shift the supply situation to a higher volume of hardwood (Klimo et al. 2000). In order to be able to better establish itself in the growing market for insulating materials in the future, the wood-based panel industry must develop resource adapted new processes and products.
The basic feasibility of replacing softwood with hardwood fibres on a laboratory scale has already been described in the literature but with varying results (Eichhorn 2017, Imken et al. 2021). The present study tries to contribute to a better understanding of the interactions of fibre size and mechanical properties as well as thermal conductivity of insulation boards.
Keywords: insulation panels, hardwoods, thermal conductivity, mechanical properties
Authors
Sascha Brinker
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
Christian Ahrens
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
Carsten Mai
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
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