Manufacturing of Lightweight Sandwich Structure Engineered Wood Reinforced With Fiber Glass: Selection of Core Materials Using Hybridized Natural/Engineered Fibers

• Main Authors: Utai Meekum, Waree Wangkheeree
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: North Carolina State University 2016-07-01
• Series: BioResources
• Subjects: Sandwich LVL; Hybrid core; Lightweight pane; Mechanical and durability properties
• Online Access: http://ojs.cnr.ncsu.edu/index.php/BioRes/article/view/BioRes_11_3_7608_Meekum_Lightweight_Sandwich_Structure_Fiber_Glass
• ISSN: 1930-2126; 1930-2126

Lightweight sandwich engineered wood reinforced with fiber glass using a natural fiber wood foam core was investigated. A prepreg epoxy formulation was used as both wood adhesive and matrix for the prepreg fiber glass. Combining 3 phr of oxybis(benzenesulfonylhydrazide) (OBSH) with 10 phr of ethyl acetate, as foaming agent enhanced the properties of the eucalyptus fiber (EF) wood foam. Incorporation of rice-husk fiber (RF) or bagasse (BG) into the EF reduced the mechanical properties due to the low aspect ratio and high non-compacted bulk density of RF and BG. The high hydrophilicity of BG increased the water uptake and decreased the dimensional stability of the wood core. The mechanical performance of the natural fiber cores was improved by using randomized unidirectional engineered glass (GF), carbon (CF), and Kevlar (KF) fibers. However, the hybridized cores with long fibers and high elastic modulus, with respect to the sample thickness, had a negative impact on the woods due to internal residual stress, leading to a spring-back effect. A fiber glass reinforcement lightweight sandwich structure with engineered wood derived from the EF/BG and its 30% hybrid lightweight cores yielded superior mechanical and durability properties.