ABSTRACT
Wood-composite building products offer homogeneous structures that address the ever-growing needs of different industries for new materials with consistent, predictable, and unique qualities. However, they are susceptible to biological degradation; they are vulnerable to changes caused by water and water vapor; and fire is always a great concern. Nanomaterials can easily be added to wood-composite materials during formation to improve their qualities. Nano-metals (nanosilver, nanocopper, and nano-zincoxide) and nano-minerals (nano-wollastonite and nanoclays) have successfully been used to improve the biological resistance of wood-composite products against wood-deteriorating fungi. Addition of highly thermally conductive nano-metals and nano-wollastonite increased the thermal conductivity coefficient of composite mats, thereby reducing hot-press time, and improving physical and mechanical properties. A number of organo-nanoparticles were used to improve the water resistance of wood-composites. Nano-cellulose and nanofibrills provided composites with unique properties. Novel composites based on nanofibrillated plant 311cellulose and bacterial cellulose embedded in natural and synthetic polymeric matrices are also promising due to their compatibility with the matrix. Different nanomaterials have also been employed to improve the bonding strength as well as water resistance of bio-adhesives such as soy protein, to replace formaldehyde-based and petrochemically derived adhesives. In this chapter, some of the applications of different nanomaterials that have successfully been used to improve qualities of wood composites are presented.
