PROCESS FOR BINDING LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIAL

Abstract: Process for binding lignocellulosic material using polyisocyanates in combination with lignin solvents and optionally lignin as binder.

Description: DESCRIPTION PROCESS FOR BINDING LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIAL This invention relates to a process for binding lignocellulosic material using polyisocyanates and to compositions for use in said process. The molding of lignocellulosic material containing fibers, particles or layers to form composite bodies is well known. The binders which were normally used are the synthetic resin glues such as suspensions of urea- formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resin in water. Composite bodies containing lignocellulosic produced in this way lack durability and are susceptible to moisture conditions and deterioration in certain building purposes to which they may be subjected. Organic di- ana polyisocyanates as binders for lignocellulosic materials have been proposed and are known to give products of increased stability and mechanical strength. However even at reduced cinder use levels the cost of polyisocyanates as compared to the urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formadehyde resin binders is unfavorable. It is an object of the present invention to provide polyisocyanate-bound lignocellulosic bodies containing reduced polyisocyanate binder levels whilst retaining equivalent board properties. It is another object of the present invention to proviαe polyisocyanate- bound lignocellulosic bodies having improved properties εt equivalent loadings of polyisocyanate binder. Therefore the present invention provides a process for binding lignocellulosic material comprising the steps of a) bringing said lignocellulosic material in contact with an organic polyisocyanate composition and bι subsequently allowing said material to bind, characterised in that said lignocellulosic material is also brought in contact with a lignin solvent either simultaneously with or separately from the organic polyisocyanate composition. The advantage of the present invention is that levels of the polyisocyanate necessary to produce a cured pressed composite lignocellulosic body can be substantially reduced while maintaining equivalent or superior composite board physical properties. Further at equivalent levels of polyisocyanate composite bodies having improved physical properties such as strength and swelling are obtained. Also improved performance in release from the press platens is observed in some circumstances, especially in Medium Density Fibreboard production. Lignin solvents as used herein are substances capable of dissolving the naturally occurring proto-lignin or lignin as modified by the process used for recovering it from lignocellulosic material. Preference is given to non-isocyanate-reactive lignin solvents. Examples of suitable lignin solvents for use in the process of the present invention include cyclic ureas such as N,N'-dimetnylethylene urea and N,N'-dimethylpropylene urea, acetol, dioxine, esters such as diethyl sulfate, ethyl oxalate and triethyl phosphate, polyesters, ketones such as acetone, isophorone, mesityl oxide, methyl ethyl ketone and pentanedione, 1,4-dιoxane, dioxolane, methyl morpholine, morpholme, propylene oxide, tetrahyαrofurfuryl alcohol, tetrahydrophrane, thialdme, acrylomtrile, 2-nιtro-2-ethyl-l, 3-propanedιol τelted) , 2-nιtro-2-methyl-l-propanoi (melted), dimethyl sulfolane, dimethyl sulfoxide, formamide, butyl alcohol and nitroethanol (and mixtures of these) . Of these N,N'-dimetnylethylene urea and , V. '-dimethylpropylene urea are preferred. Use of these two compounds as lignin solvent has not been described heretobefore. Only one of the above lignin solvents may be used in the process of the present invention or mixtures of two or more of sucn lignin solvents may be used. The lignin solvents, especially the cyclic ureas, are used in the process of the present invention in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 6.0 -, preferably 0.3 to 3 - and most preferably 0.5 to 2 - b weight based on the polyisocyanate. The lignin solvent to be preferably used and the preferred amount thereof depends on the wood species and can be readily determined by the man skilled in the art. By using a lignin solvent in combination with a polyisocyanate in the above amounts, boards of equivalent physical properties are obtained at a 15 to 20 « • reduction in polyisocyanate loading. The lignin solvent can either be added to the polyisocyanate composition before the composition is brought into contact with the lignocellulosic material or the lignin solvent can be added to the lignocellulosic material Defore of after (preferably before) the polyisocyanate is added. Polyisocyanate compositions containing the above lignin solvents in the above amount are stable. An inert diluent such as linseed oil, methyloleate, 2, 3-dιbenzyltoluene can SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 2 be added to such a polyisocyanate composition. Further reductions in polyisocyanate loadings whilst maintaining board properties are possible when adding both lignin and lignin solvent to the lignocellulosic material. Lignins derived from a wide variety of sources may be employed. Exemplary are lignins resulting from kraft and soda wood-pulping processes such as alkali lignins (also called kraft and sulfate lignin) , lignins resulting from sulfite wood-pulping processes such as ligninsulfonates, lignins resulting from hydrolysis of wood. The preferred lignins are organosolv lignin and alkali lignin. Lignins from hardwood and soft wood sources may be used. Instead of lignin itself lignin models based on the monomer units of natural lignin (namely phenyl propane) can be used. Examples of lignin models include the compounds described by W.E. Collier et al. in Holzforschung, 4_6 f6) _ page 523-528 (1992) especially materials baseα on C.H.-P and CH. (OCH )R wherein R is CH(OH)CH or CH.CH(OH)C.H., the compunds described by L. Egglmg i Trends in Biotechnology, 1.(4), page 123- 12"? (1983) such as dil gnols (two phenyl propane units), arylglycerol-β-aryl ether, 1,2-dιarylpropane dilignols and phenylcoumaran dilignol, the compounds described by G.E. Hawkes et al. in Holzforschung, 4_7, page 302-312 (1993) such as vanillin, vamllic acid, acetovanillone, syringaldehyde, 4-hydroxy-3, 5-dιmethoxyDenzoιc ac d, 4-hydroxyoenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzoιc ac d, 4-hycro:-: -3, --ciπethoxyacetophenone, 4-hydroxycιnnamιc acid, 3, 4-dιhydroxycmnarr. c acid (caffeic acid), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycιnnamιc acid (ferulic acid) and 4-hydroxy-3, -dιmethoxycιnnamιc acid, and the compounds described by D.K. Johnson et al . in "Molecular weight distribution studies using lignin model compounds", Chapter 6, page 109-123, edited by W.G. Glasser and S. Sarkanen, ACS Symp. Ser. 397 (1989), ISBN 0-8 12-1631-2. The lignin or lignin model is added in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 50 -, preferably 1 to 5 * by weight based on the polyisocyanate. The lignin or lignin model can be added to the lignocellulosic material separately from tne polyisocyanate and lignin solvent (preferably after the polyisocyanate has been added) or it can be added simultaneously with the polyisocyanate and/or lignin solvent. If added simultaneously the preferreα method involves first mixing the lignm (model) and the lignm solvent and then adding the polyisocyanate thereto. Another method involves first adding the lignm (model) to the polyisocyanate and then the lignin solvent. Tne combination of lignm solvent and lignin (model) can lead to a reduction in polyisocyanate loading of 20 to 40 » . The polyisocyanates for use in the process of the present invention may be any organic polyisocyanate compound or mixture of organic polyisocyanate compounds, provided said compounds have at least 2 isocyanate groups Organic polyisocyanates include dusocyanates, particularly aromatic dusocyanates, and isocyanates of higher functionality. Examples of organic polyisocyanates which may be used in the present invention include aliphatic isocyanates such as hexamethylene diisocyanate; and aromatic isocyanates such as m- and p-phenylene diisocyanate, tolylene- 2,4- and -2, 6-dιιsocyanate, dιphenylmethane-4, 4 '-diisocyanate, chlorophenylene-2, -dιιsocyanate, naphthylene-1,5-dιιsocyanate, diphenylene- 4, 4 ' -diisocyanate, 4,4'-dι soc\anate-3,3'-dιmethyldιphenyl, 3-τethyldιphenylmethane- , 4 '-diisocyanate and diphenyl ether diisocyanate, and cycloaliphatic dusocyanates such as cyclohexane-2, 4- and -2,3- dusocyanate, l-methylcyclohexyl-2, 4- and -2, 6-dιιsocyanate and mixtures thereof and bis- (isocyanatocyclohexyl)methane and tmsocyanates such as 2,4, 6-triisocyanato oluene and 2,4, 4-trιιsocyanatodιphenylether. Modified polyisocyanates containing isocyanurate, carbodiimide or uretonimine groups ma_» be employed as well. Further bloc.ed polyisocyanates, like the reaction product of a phenol or an oxime and a polyisocyanate, may be used, having a deblocking temperature below the temperature applied when using the polyisocyanate composition. The organic polyisocyanate may also be an isocyanate-ended prepolymer made by reacting an excess of a diisocyanate or higher functionality polyisocyanate with a polyol. Water-emulsiflable organic polyisocyanates like those described in UK patent no. 1444933, in European patent publication no. 516361 and in PCT paten publication no. 91/03082 can also be used. Mixtures of isocyanates may be used, for example a mixture of tolylene diisocyanate isomers such as the commercially available mixtures of 2,4- ana 2,6-ιsomers and also the mixture of di- and higher polyisocyanates produced by phosgenation of aniline/formaldehyde condensates. Such mixtures are well-known in the art and include the crude phosgenation products containing methylene bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanates, including diisocyanate, tmsocyanate and higher polyisocyanates together with any phosgenation by¬ products. Preferred isocyanates to be used m the present invention are those wherei- .e isocyanate is an aromatic diisocyanate or polyisocyanate of higher f nctionality such as a pure diphenylrrethane diisocyanate or mixture of methylene bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanates containing dusocyanates, tmsocyanates and higher functionality polyisocyanates. Methylene bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanates are well known in the art. They are prepared by phosgenation of corresponding mixtures of polyamines obtained by condensation of aniline and formaldehyde. For convenience, polymeric mixtures of methylene bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanates containing diisocyanate, tmsocyanate and higher functionality polyisocyanates are referred to hereinafter as polymeric MDI . Preferably the polyisocyanate is liquid at room temperature. The polyisocyanate composition further may comprise conventional additives like flame retardants, lignocellulosic preserving agents, fungicides, waxes, sizing agents, fillers and other binders like formaldehyde condensate adhesive resins. The lignocellulosic bodies are prepared by bringing the lignocellulosic parts into contact with the polyisocyanate composition and the lignin solvent l ke by means of mixing, spraying and/or spreading the polyisocyanate composition and the lignin solvent with/onto the lignocellulosic parts and by pressing the combination of the polyisocyanate composition, lignm solvent and the lignocellulosic parts, preferably b hot-pressing, normally at 150°C to 220°C and 2 to 6 MPa specific pressure. Sucr. binding processes are commonly known the art. The lignocellulosic material after treatment with the polyisocyanate composition and lign solvent is placed on caul plates made of aluminium or steel whicn serve to carry the furnish into the press where it is compressed to the desired extent usually at a temperature between 150 β C and 220 β C. At the start of a manufacturing run it may be helpful, but not essential, to condition the press plates by spraying their surfaces with an external release agent. The conditioned press may then be used many times in the process of the invention without further treatment. The process of the present invention may be used in the manufacture of waferboard, medium density fiberboard and particle board (also known as chipboard) . Thus the lignocellulosic material used can include wood strands, woodchips, wood fibers, shavings, wood wool, cork, bark, sawdust and like waste products of the wood working industry as well as other materials having a lignocellulosic basis such as paper, bagasse, straw, flax, sisal, hemp, rusnes, reeαs, rice r_.lls, husks, grass, nutshells ana the l ke Additionally, there may oe mixed with the lignocellulosic materials other particulate or fibrous materials such as mineral fillers, glass fiber, mica, rubber, textile waste such as plastic fibers and fabrics. The weight ratio of polyisocyanate/lignocellulosic material will vary depending on the bulk density of the lignocellulosic material employed and properties required. Therefore, the polyisocyanate compositions may be applied in such amounts to give a weight ratio of polyisocyanate/lignocellulosic material in the range of 0.1:99.9 to 25:75 and preferably in the range of 0.3:99.7 to 16:84. If desired, other conventional binding agents, such as formaldehyde condensate adhesive resins, may be used in conjunction with the polyisocyanate composition. More detailed descriptions of methods of manufacturing products based on lignocellulosic material are available in the prior art. The techniques and equipment conventionally used can be adapted for use in the process of the present invention. The invention is illustrated but not limited by the following examples. SUPRASEC is a trademark of Imperial Chemical Industries. EXAMPLE 1 The lignin solvent was added to the polyisocyanate (SUPRASEC 2185 available from Imperial Chemical Industries) and stirred slowly for about 2 minutes at room temperature. The type and amount (based on the polyisocyanate) of lignin solvent is indicated below in Table 1. The resin was then sprayed onto the wood furnish at 3 _ loading (polyisocyanate + lignm solvent) in a dr mblender with an air-atomised 0.7 mn nozle. With the sprayed woodstrands 30 x 30 x 1.1 cm Oriented Strand Boards were made in a Siempelkamp press. The press platens were at a temperature of 200°C. Press profile used: closing in 45 sec to 130 bar, closed for 176 sec at 130 bar, pressure decrease in 15 sec from 130 bar to 0 bar. Physical board properties are given in Table 1. Swelling after 24 hours is determined according to standard DIN 52364, Internal Bond (IB) is determined according to standard DIN 52365 for V20 and DIN 68763 and DIN 52365 for V100. Dimethylethylene urea (DMEU) available from Acros Chimica Dimethylpropylene urea (DMPU) available from Acros Chimica Aspen strands obtained from Weyerhaeuser, Drayton Valley Southern Pine strards obtained from Weyerhaeuser, Elkin Table 1 The above results show chat even at reduced levels of polyisocyanate boards made according to the invention show improved swelling and internal bond strength. EXAMPLE 2 Organosolv lignin (available from Repap Technologies Inc. under the name ALCELL Lignin Powder) (2 pbw per 100 pbw of polyisocyanate) was added slowly to the polyisocyanate (SUPRASEC 2185 available from Imperial Chemical Industries) with stirring at room temperature. Subsequently lignin solvent dimethylethyiene urea (1 pbw per 100 pbw of polyisocyanate) was stirred in. The resin was then sprayed onto Aspen wood strands at 2 * loading (polyisocyanate + lignin solvent + lignin) in a drumblender with an air- atomised 0.7 mm nozle. With the sprayed woodstrands 30 x 30 x 1.1 cm Oriented Strand Boards were made in a Siempelkamp press. The press platens were at a temperature of 200°C. Press profile used: closing in 45 sec to 130 bar, closed for 176 sec at 130 bar, pressure decrease in 15 sec from 130 bar to 0 bar. Physical board properties are given in Table 2. Physical board properties of a reference board made with 2 * SUPRASEC 2185 on its own are also given in Table 2. Table 2 EXAMPLE 3 Dispersions were made by mixing 5 pbw of dimethylethylene urea (available from Aldrich) m 93 pbw of polyisocyanate (SUPRASEC 2185 available from Imperial Chemical Industries ■. Wnle stirring 2 pbw of lign was added slowly to this mixture and stirreα for 15 minutes. Single lapjoints of Aspen were prepared from the obtained polyisocyanate compositions and cured in an oven for 30 minutes at 160°C clamped a L- clamp. The lap omts were constructed using two 10-12 cm x 25 mm x 3 mm CJ; wood with an overlap distance of 25 mm. Adhesive was applied to both faces of the overlap (30 mm deepi at a loading of 12-18 g/m . Tensile strengths of the obtained lapjoints were measured; 3 mm spacers were used to achieve parallel strain and mm_rιse peeling forces. Results are presented in Table 3. The reference used is polyisocyanate (SUPRASEC 2185) . The different lign s used are organosolv lignin (available from Repap Technologies), alkali lignin (available from Aldrich) , hydrolytic lignm 'available from Aldπcr. and sodiur- ignosuifonate (available fror Aldrich). Table 3 EXAMPLE 4 A composition of polyisocyanate SL'PPASEC 1042 ( available from Imperial Chemical Industries! emulsified in water at 50:50 ratio was prepared and 2 * by weight of DMEU was added hereto. Bestwood fibre boards of IS x 18 x 0.6 cm were made using this polyisocyanate composition at 6 r loading (board density 800 kg/rrr) . Moisture content of the premat: 12 -. Temperature of press plates: 200°C. Releasibility of the boards from the press platens was rated from 1 to 5; 1 being complete sticking of the board to the press platens and 5 being perfect release from the press platens. Wood failure was also measured as the percentage area of the press platen covered with wood fibres after taking away the board. Results are presented in Table 4. The reference is SUPRASEC 1042 emulsified in water at 50:50 ratio. Table 4 These results show that release performance is improved by adding a lignm solvent to the polyisocyanate.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Process for binding lignocellulosic material comprising the steps of a) bringing said lignocellulosic material m contact with an organic polyisocyanate composition and b) subsequently allowing said material to bind, characterised in that said lignocellulosic material is also brought into contact with a lignin solvent either simultaneously with or separately from the organic polyisocyanate composition. 2. Process according to claim 1 wherein the lignm solvent is a cyclic urea. 3. Process according to claim 2 wherein the lignm solvent is N, N '-dimethylethylene urea or N, '-dimethylpropylene urea. 4. Process according to clair 1, 2 or 3 wherein the lignm solvent is used in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 6 - by weight based on the polyisocyanate. 5. Process according to claim 4 wherein the lignin solvent is used in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 2 - by weight based on the polyisocyanate. 6. Process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said lignocellulosic material is also brought into contact with lignin or a lignin model eitner simultaneously with or separately from the polyisocyanate composition and/or the lignm solvent. 7. Process according to claim 6 wherein the lignm is organosolv lignm or alkali lignin. 8. Process according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the lignm or lignm model is used in an amount ranging from 1 to 5 - by weight based on the polyisocyanate. 9. Process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the organic polyisocyanate is an aromatic polyisocyanate. 10. Process according to claim 9 wherein the organic polyisocyanate is methylene bridged polyphenyl polyisocyanate. 11. Process according to any one of the preceding claims wherein step b) involves hot-pressing the combination of the lignocellulosic material, the polyisocyanate composition, the lignin solvent and SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26> optionally the lignin or lignin model. 12. Polyisocyanate composition comprising N,N'-dimethylethylene urea or N, '-dimethylpropylene urea. 13. Polyisocyanate composition according to claim 12 wherein N,N'- dimethylethylene urea or N,N'-dimethylpropylene urea is used in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 6 - by weight. 14. Polyisocyanate composition according to claim 13 wherein N,N'- dimethylethylene urea or N,N'-dimethylpropylene urea is used in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 2 . by weight.

Inventors: PHANOPOULOS CHRISTOPHER, VANDEN ECKER JACOBUS MARGARETA, PHANOPOULOS, CHRISTOPHER, VANDEN ECKER, JACOBUS, MARGARETA, VALENTIJN
Applicants: ICI PLC, IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES PLC
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C08L97
IPC codes: C08G18, C08L97