A device and a method for specifically influencing the technological properties of individual regions of a sheet-like material are provided, including the following steps: a) fixing the sheet-like material or a pre-compacted material nonwoven or a material fibre cake on a workbench, b) placing at least one applicator on the upper side and/or the underside of the sheet-like material, the material nonwoven or the material fibre cake, c) specifically moving the at least one applicator on the upper side and/or the underside and pressing an improving medium into partial regions of the sheet-like material, the material nonwoven or the material fibre cake in a predetermined amount and under a predetermined pressure, d) optionally, subsequently pressing the pre-compacted material nonwoven or the material fibre cake to form a sheet of the desired thickness.

A device and a method for specifically influencing the technological properties of individual regions of a sheet-like material are provided, including the following steps: a) fixing the sheet-like material or a pre-compacted material nonwoven or a material fibre cake on a workbench, b) placing at least one applicator on the upper side and/or the underside of the sheet-like material, the material nonwoven or the material fibre cake, c) specifically moving the at least one applicator on the upper side and/or the underside and pressing an improving medium into partial regions of the sheet-like material, the material nonwoven or the material fibre cake in a predetermined amount and under a predetermined pressure, d) optionally, subsequently pressing the pre-compacted material nonwoven or the material fibre cake to form a sheet of the desired thickness.

A method or process for a system for applying high, elevated levels of zinc borate additives to composite or manufactured wood panels, such as oriented strand board, for improved surface antifungal and anti-termite properties. Zinc borate is applied to one or more surface layers of a manufactured wood panel at approximately 2.0% (m/m) or higher, more preferably above 2.0% (m/m) to approximately 2.5% (m/m), which produces the surprising result of resisting surface fungal growth. In particular, OSB panels generated from Aspen and Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) wood species are successfully treated with zinc borate levels of at least approximately 2.0% (m/m), and found to resist surface fungal growth.

A method or process for a system for applying high, elevated levels of zinc borate additives to composite or manufactured wood panels, such as oriented strand board, for improved surface antifungal and anti-termite properties. Zinc borate is applied to one or more surface layers of a manufactured wood panel at approximately 2.0% (m/m) or higher, more preferably above 2.0% (m/m) to approximately 2.5% (m/m), which produces the surprising result of resisting surface fungal growth. In particular, OSB panels generated from Aspen and Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) wood species are successfully treated with zinc borate levels of at least approximately 2.0% (m/m), and found to resist surface fungal growth.

A two-part flame-retardant, a flame-retardant oriented strand (OSB) and method for forming a flame-retardant OSB is provided. The two-part flame-retardant composition includes an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble flame-retardant and a flame-retardant powder that is incorporated into an oriented strand board without substantially affecting the mechanical properties of the oriented strand board. The method includes applying the aqueous solution containing a water-soluble flame-retardant to an oriented strand board furnish and applying a flame-retardant powder to the wetted furnish, without requiring an additional drying step.

This method for manufacturing a high-density strand board enables high-density strand boards to be formed by using about the same press pressure as press pressures required to form strand boards with common densities, so that the high-density strand boards can be produced without using special facilities and equipment. A pretreatment process P2 is performed on strands 5 before pressing. The pretreatment process P2 is comprised of a first treatment process P2a and a subsequent second treatment process P2b. At least one of beating, high-frequency treatment, high-temperature high-pressure treatment, high-water pressure treatment, repeated deaeration and dehydration treatment, and chemical treatment is performed in the first treatment process P2a, and roll pressing or flat press pressing is performed in the second treatment process P2b. A strand board B with a density of 750 to 950 kg/m.sup.3 is formed by using a press pressure of 4 N/mm.sup.2 or less.

This method for manufacturing a high-density strand board enables high-density strand boards to be formed by using about the same press pressure as press pressures required to form strand boards with common densities, so that the high-density strand boards can be produced without using special facilities and equipment. A pretreatment process P2 is performed on strands 5 before pressing. The pretreatment process P2 is comprised of a first treatment process P2a and a subsequent second treatment process P2b. At least one of beating, high-frequency treatment, high-temperature high-pressure treatment, high-water pressure treatment, repeated deaeration and dehydration treatment, and chemical treatment is performed in the first treatment process P2a, and roll pressing or flat press pressing is performed in the second treatment process P2b. A strand board B with a density of 750 to 950 kg/m.sup.3 is formed by using a press pressure of 4 N/mm.sup.2 or less.

The invention relates to a device and a method for separating and/or recovering silicate particles from plant material. This device and the method are characterized by an air classifier (3, 14), which has at least one material inlet (4), an air inlet (6), arranged under the material inlet (4), an air outlet (7) and at least one particle receptacle (8), arranged under the air outlet, wherein the plant particles recovered from plant material by crushing can be subjected to an air stream in the air classifier (3, 14) in such a way that silicate particles contained in the plant material are removed by the air stream via the air outlet (7) and, as a result of gravitational force, the plant particles are received by the particle receptacle (8) arranged under the air outlet (7) and taken away.

The invention relates to a multiple-layer composite board of discrete materials and plastic. The multiple-layer composite board of discrete materials and plastic is formed by providing independently stratified plastic layers and discrete material layers, which are pressed in melting state of the alternate plastic layers and discrete material layers and cooled. Due to this stratification, centralized plastic layers constitute high load capacity and discrete material layers pressed with pressure lower than normal extrusion process constitute low density for the multiple-layer composite board of discrete materials and plastic.

A manufactured hemp product comprising a plurality of adhesively bonded and pressed hemp strands where the majority of the hemp strands are of generally the same length and comprise a naturally-occurring, generally elongate internal structure extending generally along one axis of the strand that has been at least partially laterally broken and at least permeated by an adhesive. The hemp strands are oriented roughly parallel to one another along their length. The manufactured hemp product comprises an amount of adhesive between about 5% to about 49% by weight. The manufactured hemp product can be used as a wood substitute in terms of appearance and performance. The manufactured hemp products may have aesthetic and structural qualities that are suitable for high traffic, high visibility applications such as boards, blocks, beams, panels, flooring, furniture, building materials and other wood products.