Stopper intended for bottling still wines, characterized in that it includes cork strips laterally joined by a polyurethane binder so as to form a plurality of cork strips, the cork strips being disposed such that the thickness thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the stopper, at least one lateral cork strip joined by a polyurethane binder to each face of the plurality of cork strips revealing all cork strips, the lenticels possibly present in the cork strips extending parallel to the thickness of the strips while those in the lateral cork strips extend perpendicular to the thickness of the strips, such that all lenticels of the stopper are disposed perpendicular to the axis of the stopper in order to limit the variation in oxygen permeability from one stopper to the other.

Stopper intended for bottling still wines, characterized in that it includes cork strips laterally joined by a polyurethane binder so as to form a plurality of cork strips, the cork strips being disposed such that the thickness thereof is perpendicular to the axis of the stopper, at least one lateral cork strip joined by a polyurethane binder to each face of the plurality of cork strips revealing all cork strips, the lenticels possibly present in the cork strips extending parallel to the thickness of the strips while those in the lateral cork strips extend perpendicular to the thickness of the strips, such that all lenticels of the stopper are disposed perpendicular to the axis of the stopper in order to limit the variation in oxygen permeability from one stopper to the other.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a natural cork film, which includes forming a thin cork layer by slicing a prepared natural cork material, forming a fiber layer by attaching a fiber sheet to one surface of the cork layer formed in the forming a thin cork layer, pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer formed in the forming a fiber layer, for preventing discoloration of the cork layer, and forming a resin layer by attaching a resin sheet to the fiber layer passing through the pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the manufactured cork film from naturally discoloring due to light and to significantly reduce a phenomenon such as brittleness or wrinkling caused when the cork layer is decolorized alone.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a natural cork film, which includes forming a thin cork layer by slicing a prepared natural cork material, forming a fiber layer by attaching a fiber sheet to one surface of the cork layer formed in the forming a thin cork layer, pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer formed in the forming a fiber layer, for preventing discoloration of the cork layer, and forming a resin layer by attaching a resin sheet to the fiber layer passing through the pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the manufactured cork film from naturally discoloring due to light and to significantly reduce a phenomenon such as brittleness or wrinkling caused when the cork layer is decolorized alone.

A method for detecting a volatile analyte to class and sort cork stoppers depending on the concentration of the analyte, detection being preformed of concentrations in the order of ng/L (parts per trillion), in a concentrated gas applied to the cork stoppers in close containment. Cork stoppers are conveyed individually or groups to an incubation chamber; air/nitrogen is injected into the incubation chamber, the gas enriched with cork volatile compounds is entrained and carried to the concentration system containing a trap heated by desorption of entraining gas to a detection system recording a signal associated with presence of the analyte, the signal being used for classing the stopper/groups of stoppers; a software receives and compares the signal with a minimum limit, deciding to approve or reject the stopper. A system for implementing this method is described.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cork stopper by compression molding cork grains, which can provide a cork stopper excellent in sealability and safety. There is provided a method for producing a cork stopper, comprising: mixing cork grains and an adhesive; compression molding the mixture to give an intermediate; and then heating the intermediate to expand the cork grains.

A method of fabricating a cork composite material and a cork composite material. The method may comprise providing a plurality of cork particles in a volume and adding a dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer to the volume to provide a mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise agitating the cork particles and/or the mixture of the dispersion of thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles and heating the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles. The method may comprise allowing the mixture of the thermoplastic elastomer and the cork particles to cool. The steps of the method together may result in a plurality of coated cork particles being coated in a first layer of the thermoplastic elastomer.

Provided is a process for chemically modifying wood or non-wood comprising: (a) impregnating said wood or non-wood with an aqueous composition comprising an acid polymerization catalyst; (b) impregnating the wood or non-wood product from step (a) with 3-furfuryl borate (3-FB); and (c) subjecting the wood product from (b) for a time and under conditions to affect polymerization of the 3-FB. Modified wood and non-wood products are also provided.

Provided is a process for chemically modifying wood or non-wood comprising: (a) impregnating said wood or non-wood with an aqueous composition comprising an acid polymerization catalyst; (b) impregnating the wood or non-wood product from step (a) with 3-furfuryl borate (3-FB); and (c) subjecting the wood product from (b) for a time and under conditions to affect polymerization of the 3-FB. Modified wood and non-wood products are also provided.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a natural cork film, which includes forming a thin cork layer by slicing a prepared natural cork material, forming a fiber layer by attaching a fiber sheet to one surface of the cork layer formed in the forming a thin cork layer, pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer formed in the forming a fiber layer, for preventing discoloration of the cork layer, and forming a resin layer by attaching a resin sheet to the fiber layer passing through the pre-treating a lamination of the cork layer and the fiber layer. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the manufactured cork film from naturally discoloring due to light and to significantly reduce a phenomenon such as brittleness or wrinkling caused when the cork layer is decolorized alone.