Green smoking tips and methods of mass manufacturing of green smoking tips comprising extracting volatile compounds and carbonizing hollow plant stem cuts.

The invention concerns a process for treating lignocellulosic material, preferably wood, comprising the following successive steps: (1) extracting lignin by a fluid in supercritical or subcritical phase to extract 40 to 85% by weight % of the lignin of the initial material; (2) filling by a filling compound, preferably in the presence of a fluid in supercritical or subcritical phase; and (3) finishing, so as to obtain a composite material formed by a three-dimensional network of filling compound that is transformed and incorporated in a network of cellulose and lignin.

Highly transparent (up to 92% light transmittance) wood composites have been developed. The process of fabricating the transparent wood composites includes lignin removal followed by index-matching polymer infiltration resulted in fabrication of the transparent wood composites with preserved naturally aligned nanoscale fibers. The thickness of the transparent wood composite can be tailored by controlling the thickness of the initial wood substrate. The optical transmittance can be tailored by selecting infiltrating polymers with different refractive indices. The transparent wood composites have a range of applications in biodegradable electronics, optoelectronics, as well as structural and energy efficient building materials. By coating the transparent wood composite layer on the surface of GaAs thin film solar cell, an 18% enhancement in the overall energy conversion efficiency has been attained.

A flexible structure is formed by subjecting cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes hemicellulose and lignin therefrom. The treated wood has a unique 3-D porous structure with numerous channels, excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility, and improved flexibility as compared to the natural wood. By further modifying the treated wood, the structure can be adapted to particular applications. For example, nanoparticles, nanowires, carbon nanotubes, or any other coating or material can be added to the treated wood to form a hybrid structure. In some embodiments, open lumina within the structure can be at least partially filled with a non-wood substance, such as a flexible polymer, or with entangled cellulose nanofibers. The unique architecture and superior properties of the flexible wood allow for its use in various applications, such as, but not limited to, structural materials, solar thermal devices, flexible electronics, tissue engineering, thermal management, and energy storage.

A method for producing wood material boards with reduced emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including: a) producing woodchips from suitable timbers; b) heat-treating at least one portion of the woodchips at a temperature between 150° C. and 300° C. for a period of 1 to 5 hours; c) crushing the wood chips that are not heat-treated and at least one portion of the heat-treated woodchips by machining in order to obtain wood shavings or by solubilizing in order to obtain wood fibers; d) gluing the wood shavings or wood fibers with at least one binding agent; e) applying the glued wood shavings onto a transport belt while forming a multi-layered shavings cake or applying the glued wood fibers onto a transport belt while forming a single-layer fiber cake; and f) compressing the shavings cake or the fiber cake to form a wood material board.

A part made from lignocellulosic material (10) is formed from a single sheet (11) of partially delignified lignocellulosic material impregnated with an impregnation polymer. The part (10) comprises at least one curved portion having a double curvature surface. The part made from lignocellulosic material is produced by a production method implementing a thermoforming step. Use in particular for producing wood veneer structures.

A super strong and tough densified wood structure is formed by subjecting a cellulose-based natural wood material to a chemical treatment that partially removes lignin therefrom. The treated wood retains lumina of the natural wood, with cellulose nanofibers of cell walls being aligned. The treated wood is then pressed in a direction crossing the direction in which the lumina extend, such that the lumina collapse and any residual fluid within the wood is removed. As a result, the cell walls become entangled and hydrogen bonds are formed between adjacent cellulose nanofibers, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the wood among other mechanical properties. By further modifying, manipulating, or machining the densified wood, it can be adapted to various applications.

The present invention relates to an improved method for impregnating a porous material, such as wood, more specifically a method in which an active ingredient to be deposited within the porous material is dissolved in condensed carbon dioxide and impregnated in the material.

A process for the production of OSB wood-based panels including: a) producing wood strands from suitable wood logs; b) treating at least part of the wood strands with steam at a temperature between 80° C. and 120° C. and a pressure between 0.5 bar and 2 bar; c) drying the steam-treated wood strands; d) gluing the steam-treated and dried wood strands and, optionally, gluing the non-steam treated wood strands with at least one binder; e) scattering the glued wood strands onto a conveyor belt; and f) pressing the glued wood strands into an OSB wood-based board. The steam treatment takes place after the wood strands have been produced and made available, or after the wood strands have been sifted and separated according to the use of the wood strands for the middle and top layers of the panel. Also, an OSB wood-based panel made using the process.

A method (10) for ethanol-based extraction of soluble wood components. Wood is prepared (12), and chipped (18) to provide wood chips. The wood chips and a liquid are mixed (20) in a container to provide a mixture. After waiting (22) for a specified time, RF energy is applied (26) to the mixture while controlling (28) at least one an RF power level, a temperature of the mixture, a time of application of the RF energy, or a speed of a pump which is circulating the liquid in the mixture. The mixture is then cooled (30), the liquid and the components are removed (32) from the container, and are filtered (36) to provide a filtered extract. The wood may be heated (14) such as by charring and/or toasting before being chipped. Oxygen may be added (34) to the liquid and the components removed from the container before being filtered.