Waste and Biomass Valorization https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-021-01391-4
ORIGINAL PAPER
Recycling of Waste MDF by Steam Refining: Evaluation of Fiber and Paper Strength Properties
Sebastian Hagel 1 · Jesan Joy 2 · Gianluca Cicala 2 · Bodo Saake 1
Received: 28 October 2020 / Accepted: 10 February 2021 © The Author(s) 2021
Abstract Currently, most of the collected waste medium-density fiberboards (MDF) is incinerated or landfilled, as economically viable recycling methods are yet to be developed. By steam refining waste medium-density fiberboards (MDF), it is possible to hydrolyze the incorporated resins and isolate a high yield fiber fraction. Further refining of the steam treated fibers might enable the fibers to be utilized in applications such as paper packaging, facilitating a cascading use of the waste material stream. To this end, intimate knowledge of the material is needed. In this study, the steam refined fibers of two waste MDF samples containing differing amounts of softwood and hardwood underwent refining and beating. The resulting fibers were characterized regarding their morphology and paper test sheets were produced to evaluate their strength (compression-, tensile- and tear-strength). Distinct differences in response to refining between the MDF samples were apparent. For the sample with the higher hardwood share an increase in strength properties with increasing steam treatment severities could be observed and it was possible to produce test sheets with comparable compression strength to recycled pulp for industrial corrugated paperboard. For the sample with a higher share of softwood, the steam treatment severity did not show any influ- ence on fiber morphology or paper properties, and the resulting paper strength was low in comparison to the other steam refined waste MDF sample. Graphic Abstract
Keywords Waste MDF · Biomass residues · Recycling · Steam treatment · Fibers · Added value products
Statement of Novelty
As there currently is no widely deployed recycling method for waste MDF, the utilization of steam to fractionate waste MDF in the context of a bio refinery, in which all parts of
* Bodo Saake
Bodo.Saake@uni-hamburg.de Extended author information available on the last page of the article
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