Investigation of the thermo-physical performance of sandwich panels with MDF skin and Paulownia wood-polyurethane foam hybrid core

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Wood and Paper Science and Technology, Faculty of Natural Resources, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

2 Department of Wood Biology and Wood Products, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

10.22059/jfwp.2025.399220.1360

Abstract

In this study, the physical properties and thermal performance of lightweight sandwich panels with a hybrid paulownia wood–polyurethane foam core were investigated. The type of core (honeycomb, continuous lattice, and discontinuous lattice) and the core composition (with and without polyurethane foam) were selected as variable factors. MDF with a thickness of 3 mm was used as the skin of the sandwich panels. Panels were manufactured according to the experimental design, with dimensions of 90 × 60 × 3.1 cm. After manufacturing, test samples were prepared and evaluated for density, water absorption, and thermal properties. Results showed that the density of panels with continuous and discontinuous lattice cores increased by about 30% and 50%, respectively, compared to the honeycomb core (control), while remaining within the allowable limit for lightweight panels. Water absorption results indicated that panels with a honeycomb core without foam had the highest absorption (84.3%), while panels with a continuous lattice core with foam had the lowest (52.5%). The use of polyurethane foam increased panel density, reduced water absorption, and significantly improved thermal insulation. The continuous lattice core containing foam, with a thermal conductivity of 0.043 W/m·K, was selected as the optimal treatment for thermal insulation. Despite the increased density of wood-core sandwich panels compared to the control, they still fall within the lightweight panel category. Therefore, their use as thermal insulation panels is recommended.

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References

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Forest and Wood Products
Volume 78, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 163-176

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