polymers-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 826

Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
Interests: bio-based composites; wood modification; functional biomaterials; natural products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, wood and wood-based composites have garnered extensive attention due to their renewable, sustainable, and eco-friendly properties. With a growing global demand for sustainable development and green building materials, new technologies and approaches for utilizing these natural resources have become a focal point in both scientific research and industry.

Following the success of the first edition of this Special Issue, the 2nd edition, “Wood and Wood-Based Composites: New Frontiers in Modification, Performance, and Sustainability,” aims to continue compiling and showcasing the latest research findings on modification techniques and emerging applications of wood and its composites.

This Special Issue will explore physical, chemical, and biological methods for modifying wood and wood-based composites and how these modifications can enhance the materials’ performance, durability, and functionality. We are particularly interested in innovative techniques that improve the materials’ resistance to microbes, fire, water, and mechanical forces. Additionally, this Special Issue will delve into the applications of these materials in construction, furniture, packaging, the automotive industry, and beyond, as well as how they contribute to sustainable and eco-friendly advancements in these areas. Authors are welcome to submit their latest research on this topic in the form of original research or review articles.

Prof. Dr. Jyh-Horng Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wood and wood-based composites
  • environmentally friendly materials
  • modification
  • flame retardancy
  • physicomechanical properties
  • sustainability
  • durability
  • environmental exposure

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 2306 KB  
Article
Expanded Graphite-Modified Melamine–Formaldehyde Adhesive for Fire-Retardant Japanese Cedar Plywood: Physicomechanical and Combustion Performance
by Fang-Yu Hsu, Shan-Ni Yu, Wen-Shao Chang and Jyh-Horng Wu
Polymers 2026, 18(14), 1710; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18141710 - 12 Jul 2026
Viewed by 552
Abstract
Wood-based composite panels are renewable and low-carbon materials, but their inherent flammability limits their broader use in applications requiring improved fire safety. In this study, expanded graphite (EG) was incorporated into a melamine–formaldehyde (MF) adhesive system to fabricate fire-retardant Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria [...] Read more.
Wood-based composite panels are renewable and low-carbon materials, but their inherent flammability limits their broader use in applications requiring improved fire safety. In this study, expanded graphite (EG) was incorporated into a melamine–formaldehyde (MF) adhesive system to fabricate fire-retardant Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plywood. Two EG types with different expansion ratios, 200-fold expanded graphite (200EG) and 450-fold expanded graphite (450EG), were added to the bonding layer at 10, 20, 30, and 40 phr. The effects of EG expansion ratio and content on the physicomechanical properties, combustion behavior, char morphology, and pyrolysis gas evolution of plywood were investigated. EG had limited effects on air-dried density and moisture content, but increasing EG content reduced bonding shear strength and parallel-direction flexural properties, particularly in the 450EG series. Cone calorimeter analysis showed that EG reduced the heat release rate and total heat release by promoting the formation of an expanded carbonaceous barrier layer. Among the tested formulations, 30 phr 200EG provided the most favorable balance between mechanical performance and fire-retardant efficiency, showing a visually more continuous char coverage while maintaining acceptable bonding properties. High-temperature furnace–FTIR analysis indicated that excessive EG loading or high-expansion-ratio EG increased CO2 and CO-related signals at 400–700 °C, probably because of a visually looser char morphology, structural disruption during expansion, and gas release from EG intercalating agents. Although the tested panels did not fully meet the CNS Grade 3 fire-retardant requirement, the results provide a useful basis for the modification and performance optimization of halogen-free fire-retardant wood-based composite panels. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop