Wollastonite to Improve Fire Properties in Medium-Density Fiberboard Made from Wood and Chicken Feather Fibers

Poultry is a crucial global protein source.However, processing creates sizable quantities of feathers as a by-product. Identifying suitable uses for these feathers poses a major challenge. One possible use would be as an extender in medium density fiberboards (MDF). At the same time, feathers might also modify the inherent fire resistance of the resulting panels, suggesting the need for additives to enhance fire performance. The potential for using feathers to supplement wood in MDF panels was evaluated in conjunction with the addition of wollastonite. The effects of using 5% or 10% feathers with or without 10% wollastonite were investigated. Adding 5% feathers did affect properties. However, simultaneous addition of 10% wollastonite resulted in panels with improved fire performance properties and increased the ability of panels to dissipate heat. The results suggest that feathers could be a resource for extending timber supplies for MDF production, especially with wollastonite to improve fire performance.