KiriTec
Development of weight-reduced wood products based on kiri wood (Paulownia spp.)
The project investigates the suitability of Kiri wood (Paulownia spp.) for the manufacturing of wood products. Fast-growing Kiri wood is produced on arable plantation land in Germany. This will help to meet the demand for raw materials, especially in the engineered wood industry, reduce raw material prices, and thus strengthen the domestic engineered wood industry. At the same time, large quantities of carbon dioxide are bound for a longer time.
Due to the low density of the Kiri wood, lightweight construction materials could be produced. In particular, three product groups are being developed for this purpose: solid wood products, chipboard and fibreboard. With regard to solid wood products; dimensional stability, surface hardness, and durability are to be improved by targeted chemical modification. With regard to particleboard and fibreboard, both the production of the raw material (chips and fibres) and the production of the boards are examined and their properties characterized. In addition, the costs of producing individual kiri wood-based materials are analyzed and their CO2 balances compiled.