Patent ID: 7687555

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one population of plural untreated wood particles; (b) providing at least one Michael functional component; (c) contacting a population of the plural untreated wood particles with a Michael functional component to form a population of plural Michael reactive wood particles; (d) blending any remaining plural untreated wood particles and any of the population of plural Michael reactive wood particles to form a reactive wood particle blend; and (e) shaping the reactive wood particle blend to form a curable wood particle composite, wherein: the step of contacting occurs: before the step of blending; during the step of blending; or both before and during the step of blending; each Michael functional component comprises at least one Michael ingredient selected from: (i) a multi-functional Michael donor; (ii) a multi-functional Michael acceptor; and (iii) a weak base catalyst having a conjugate acid which has a pK a of at least 3 and no more than 12.5; and the Michael functional components, taken together, comprise: at least one of the multi-functional Michael donor; at least one of the multi-functional Michael acceptor; and at least one of the weak base catalyst.