The project set out to produce low‑density particleboard and oriented strand board (OSB) that meet the mechanical and fire‑resistance requirements of the construction and packaging sectors while reducing wood consumption. The research was carried out at the Department of Wood Biology and Wood Products of the Georg‑August University of Göttingen, with the full laboratory production chain available for testing. The work was funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (FNR) and was extended by fourteen months because of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
The technical programme was organised into nine work packages (AP 1–AP 9). Work package 1 focused on selecting and surface‑modifying basalt fibre inlays. Basalt fibres were chosen for their high tensile strength and low density. The surface of the fibres was treated with silane or acrylate coatings to improve adhesion to the polymer matrix. Microscopic and mechanical tests, including single‑fiber pull‑out and EN 310 bending tests, showed that the acrylate coating produced higher bond strengths than the ureido‑silane treatment. This improvement was critical for achieving the required bending strength at reduced densities.
Work packages 2–4 produced single‑layer, three‑layer particleboard and OSB incorporating the basalt inlays. The boards were manufactured with conventional polymeric isocyanates (pMDI), phenol‑formaldehyde (PF) and melamine‑urea‑formaldehyde (MUF) resins to ensure water resistance. Mechanical testing according to EN 319 (tensile strength), EN 310 (bending strength and modulus), EN 318 (dimensional stability) and EN 322 (moisture content) demonstrated that the basalt‑reinforced boards achieved bending strengths comparable to standard boards of higher density. In particular, the three‑layer particleboard with basalt inlays reached a bending strength of 35 MPa at a density of 0.55 g cm⁻³, meeting the EN 310 minimum requirement for construction boards. The modulus of elasticity also improved, indicating a stiffer product.
Work packages 5–8 investigated mineral‑based binders—waterglass, silicate, carbonate—combined with the conventional resins to enhance fire resistance. Laboratory cone‑cylinder tests (DIN EN 13501‑1) revealed that boards containing 10 wt % silicate and PF resin exhibited a char layer that slowed heat transfer, extending the time to ignition by 30 % compared with boards using only PF resin. The addition of waterglass further increased the char yield, improving the overall fire‑class rating. These results were confirmed on the basalt‑reinforced boards, showing that the mineral binders did not compromise mechanical performance while providing superior fire protection.
Work package 9 transferred the laboratory findings to an industrial scale. A pilot plant of a partner company produced mineral‑bound OSB with basalt inlays, confirming that the process parameters could be scaled without loss of quality. The pilot production achieved a production rate of 200 m² h⁻¹ and maintained the mechanical and fire‑resistance targets set in the laboratory.
Collaboration involved the university’s wood science department, a local OSB manufacturer, and a materials testing laboratory. The project’s partners coordinated the design of the inlays, the adhesive chemistry, and the scale‑up process. The extended timeline allowed for iterative optimisation of the coating chemistry and binder formulations. The final deliverables include detailed process protocols, performance data, and a patent application for the basalt‑reinforced, mineral‑binder system. The project demonstrates that basalt reinforcement and mineral binders can produce low‑density, high‑strength, and fire‑resistant wood composites suitable for construction and packaging applications.