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WFU Physics Colloquium

TITLE: Producing Particle Board from Coconut Husks: A Composite Material from an Abundant, Renewable Resource

SPEAKER: Professor Walter L. Bradley,

Distinguished Professor of Engineering
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

TIME: Thursday Mar. 8, 2007 at 4:00 PM

PLACE: George P. Williams, Jr. Lecture Hall, (Olin 101)

Refreshments will be served at 3:30 PM in the lounge. All interested persons are cordially invited to attend.

ABSTRACT

Coconuts are an abundant, renewable resource within 20 degrees of the equator. However, the coconut husks are routinely burned, redeeming at best a small amount of energy. The possibilities of hot pressing coconut husks into particle board are being investigated to see if binderless particle board can be made from this essentially free feedstock. Whether the pith (primarily lignin) behaves like a natural thermosetting polymer or a natural thermoplastic will determine the best processing path. How much fiber is useful to optimize mechanical properties is also being investigated.

100 Olin Physical Laboratory
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7507
Phone: (336) 758-5337, FAX: (336) 758-6142
E-mail: wfuphys@wfu.edu