Wood Composites

Recent progress in enhancing and refining the performance and properties of wood composites by chemical and thermal modification and the application of smart multi-functional coatings have made them a particular area of interest for researchers. Wood Composites comprehensively reviews the whole field of wood composites, with particular focus on their materials, applications and engineering and scientific advances, including solutions inspired biomimetrically by the structure of wood and wood composites.

Part One covers the materials used for wood composites and examines wood microstructure, and wood processing and adhesives for wood composites. Part Two explores the many applications of wood composites, for example plywood, fibreboard, chipboard, glulam, cross-laminated timber, I-beams and wood-polymer composites. The final part investigates advances in wood composites and looks at the preservation and modification of wood composites, environmental impacts and legislative obligations, nano-coatings and plasma treatment, biomimetic composite materials, the integration of wood composites with other materials and carbonized and mineralized wood composites.

Author Biography

Associate Professor Martin Ansell is a Reader in Materials for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath, UK, specialising in cellulosic materials and polymers. His research includes the creep and fatigue of wood and natural fibre composites, the development of bonded-in technology for joints in timber structures and characterisation of polymers and composites for industrial applications.Dr Ansell was awarded his degree in Materials Science from the University of Sussex before continuing to take a PhD in Solid State Physics at Chelsea College, University of London. He was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Wood Science (FIWSc) in 1986 and was President of Institute of Wood Science from 1994 to 1996. He was awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM) in 2002. Dr Ansell joined the University of Bath as a Research Officer in 1976 and has since worked as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Materials. He has worked as a Reader (Associate Professor) in the Department of Mechanical Engineering since 2006.