Patent ID: 7628889

Claim:
A method of making a rigid lignocellulose fiber-resin composite structural material, the method consisting essentially of: (a) providing an aqueous lignocellulose fiber pulp slurry having an effective consistency; (b) de-watering said slurry by applying a compression pressure to provide a de-watered material at an effective de-watering rate under an effective pressure to prevent or reduce the formation of fissures and voids within said material; (c) drying an effective amount of said de-watered material at an effective temperature and period of time to provide said formed, dried lignocellulose fiber material of a shape having a thickness of at least 5 mm; (d) impregnating said dried formed fiber material with a liquid thermoset resin under an effective pressure for an effective period of time to effect impregnation of said resin in said dried formed fiber material at a desired rate and to a desired degree to produce a resin-treated material; and (e) curing said resin in said resin-treated material to produce the composite material.