BIKIARIS LAB

Composite wood products such as particleboards, fibreboard (MDF), etc., are widely applied in the furniture industry to replace the most expensive and rare natural wood. However, due to their frequent use, there are significant disadvantages that have to be battled such as: (a) their low hydrophobicity and oleophobicity resulting in fingerprints and/or other pollutants remain on their surface, and (b) the growth of hands-to-surface transferred microorganisms.

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CHIMAR HELLAS S.A., a resin and board manufacture company, NANOTYPOS O.E. (NNT), an innovative company with experience in thermal nano-lithography, and the research team of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki with significant experience in polymeric and nanocomposite materials production, as well as in the processing and utilization of biomass by-products to chemicals and products of high added value are working together to:

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1. Process various lignocellulosic agricultural or forest by-products, as well as crude glycerol collected as a by-product from biodiesel production, to produce wood and microbial cellulose respectively, and further treat it to obtain cellulose nanostructures.
2. Use these types of nano-cellulose in composite wood product applications, to enhance their performance in terms of physical and mechanical properties and adjust/improve their hydrophobicity.
3. Implement a new strategy based on the modification of the surface of the composite wood products by nanoimprint lithography (NIL) to become hydrophobic and/or oleophobic and antimicrobial at the same time.

Project Coordination, Principal Investigator:

Professor Konstantinos S. Triantafyllidis

 

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