CXP Wood

CXP Wood

Cellulose Cross(X)-linked Polymer (CXP) is a thermoplastic wood material made by crosslinking cellulose and other ingredients. It is a material that technically differs from synthetic wood such as WPC and MDF, because it does not contain plastic adhesive components. It is a material that can be molded and processed by current thermoplastic processes or customized processes, and is able to act as a substitute for fossil based plastics, biodegradable plastics and synthetic wood.

The biodegradable plastics were developed to replace fossil-based plastics, but have a somewhat limited decomposition ability - one of the main concerns now that a global movement on plastic ban has started. They need a proper environment, oftentimes one that is rare to be found outside a laboratory or specialized composting station. If such conditions are not met, bioplastics release microplastics while decomposing. This is one of the reasons that resulted in some PLA items being banned or taxed under the new legislation in some countries. PLA is the most known bioplastic, and as soon as this issue was recognized, it was banned from use and had its eco-friendly certification revoked. CXP clearly distinguishes itself from recycled plastics, is free from toxic substances, do no release microplastics in the environment, and is truly eco-friendly as it does not produce or release any toxic substances during the decomposition period.

Structure

CXP has wood as its main component. Wood is composed of xylem and water, and a complex structure of polymers is formed through self-linking and cross-linking of cellulose polymers constituting the wood. In the case of conventional wood products or synthetic wood, they are processed by electrostatic bonding of binders, whereas CXP has covalent bonding without binders like adhesives or glue.

There are variations among the physical properties in different grades of CXP, but it is basically a principle of connecting rather than binding. Covalent bonding is a very strong connection type compared to electrostatic bonding. Through this, it is possible to use Korean tree species, which were not previously used due to their weak physical properties, as an ingredient for CXP.

Characteristics

Due to the nature of the tree, CXP has the basic properties of wood. However, wood has a low moisture content after drying and using it. There are only a few pores left inside during processing, so unlike wood that floats easily on water due to a lot of air inside, CXP basically sinks in water because of its high specific gravity.

• Hydrophilic (although this occurs only at the surface and does not absorb water because there is no room for water to penetrate the interior)
• Presence of lignin
• Decomposes just like wood
• Has the same smell as wood
• Resistant to sudden temperature changes (-60°C to 144°C)
• (Base grade) Weakness to bending

The main characteristic of CXP is the presence of lignin. This substance is only present in real wood. Over time, the lignin on the surface fades, the smell becomes lighter and the color becomes brighter.

Importance

The importance of CXP development reaches multiple areas. South Korea is the country where CXP was developed, so it acts like a study case. South Korea is not self sufficient in wood production. The terrain is alpine, the forests lack roads and are composed mainly of Rigida pine trees and larch, which are not suitable for the forestry industry. The items that can be produced using korean national wood are usually low-added-value, such as plywood boards and wood chips. With the development of CXP, wood that was previously unsuitable can now be used for high-added-value product manufacturing. Other countries that face similar issues can benefit from the same wood processing technique.

In addition, since it is a wood material with similar properties to conventional plastic, it is able to protect the environment in two ways. First way is reducing plastic use, therefore minimizing the amount of the previously undergound-stored carbon that is brought back to the atmosphere when extracting petrol. Second way is using wood, that safely removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores in its body, locking it away for as long as the wood isn't rotten or burned. Combining both mthods (reducing the volume of CO2 that is added to the atmosphere by the use of plastics and using wood, a natural carbon storage) is a more efficient manner to curb carbon dioxide.

Although WPC can be processed through extrusion machines, the exhisting methods of wood processing were rather limited. With the new possibility of processing with injection and extrusion, wood is likely to grab a bigger share of the market.

References

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