Editorial
Research Paper
Management and Economics wood
Hamidreza Talaie; Shahab Bayatzadeh
Abstract
Background and Objective: The wood industry in Iran is one of the key industries with high potential for the production of products such as furniture and interior decoration. However, this industry faces challenges such as traditional structures, lack of modern skills, and limited use of digital technologies, ...
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Background and Objective: The wood industry in Iran is one of the key industries with high potential for the production of products such as furniture and interior decoration. However, this industry faces challenges such as traditional structures, lack of modern skills, and limited use of digital technologies, which hinder its competitiveness in both domestic and international markets. Agile thinking, as a strategic approach, can address these issues by enhancing flexibility, quick response capabilities, and continuous learning, paving the way for sustainable growth. This research aims to identify and rank the characteristics of agile thinking and introduce and localize the necessary tools for successful agility implementation in Iran’s furniture and wood decoration industry. The significance of this topic lies in improving competitiveness, reducing costs, and adapting to environmental and market changes.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-survey research, with an analytical approach and practical results, utilizes the fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy Fuzzy Order of Comparison (FOC) methods to identify and weigh the factors of agile thinking. In the first step, 17 main factors were identified through a review of literature and previous studies. These factors included characteristics such as flexibility, continuous learning, failure management, and continuous improvement. Then, using a fuzzy Delphi questionnaire, which was provided to 10 experts in the wood and furniture industry, the factors were confirmed and prioritized. In the fuzzy Delphi process, linguistic terms and triangular fuzzy numbers were used to analyze the data, and after two rounds, 12 factors were finally confirmed. In the next step, the fuzzy FOC method was employed to weigh these factors. This method, using fuzzy pairwise comparisons and analysis of the defined constraints in the model, calculated the final weights of the factors. All calculations were performed using LINGO 18 software.
Results: Flexibility, with a weight of 33.5%, was identified as the most important factor. This factor includes sub-factors such as open-mindedness, adequate information, and adaptability to changes, which play a vital role in responding quickly to environmental changes. Failure management, with a weight of 32.8%, was also a prominent factor and includes components such as accepting failure and constructive criticism, which help in learning from past experiences. Learning new skills (18.2%) focusing on in-service training, digital infrastructure, and skill development enhances the capabilities of employees and organizations. Continuous improvement (15.6%), including time management, strengthening accountability, and creating a trust-based environment, contributes to increasing productivity and quality of organizational processes. Data analysis revealed that flexibility and failure management, especially in dynamic industrial environments like the wood industry, play crucial roles in organizational success. Additionally, employee training and fostering a culture of continuous learning are effective tools for adapting to rapid technological and market changes.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that strengthening the agile mindset, including flexibility, continuous learning, and failure management, can enhance agility in Iran’s wood industry and improve its competitiveness in domestic and international markets. These results emphasize the importance of investing in employee training, developing digital infrastructure, and promoting a culture of accepting failure. Moreover, implementing these approaches can improve organizational performance, increase sustainability, and accelerate the transformation of this industry, paving the way for sustainable growth.
Research Paper
Composite wood products
Reza Hajihassani; kamyar salehi; Fardad Golbabaei; Hashem Rahamin; meysam mehdinia
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The country's forest resources limitation and prohibition of wood import, have caused several problems in providing lignocellulosic raw materials. Therefore, the use of lignocellulosic waste resources shows important role in this field. Particleboard is one of the wood composite ...
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Background and Objectives: The country's forest resources limitation and prohibition of wood import, have caused several problems in providing lignocellulosic raw materials. Therefore, the use of lignocellulosic waste resources shows important role in this field. Particleboard is one of the wood composite products which can be produced using various types of lignocellulosic materials such as agricultural residue. One of the available agricultural wastes in the country is rice husk, which can be used in production of particleboard. However, the use of agricultural lignocellulosic residues impose negative impact on engineering characteristic of produced boards. Therefore, the objective of this research is to evaluate the possibility of rice husk application in particleboard production and also obtain an optimal composition of raw material and the other production conditions.Methodology: Rice husk and industrial wood particles were collected from the Gilan province and 22 Bahman Particleboard Company, respectively. The steps in particleboard production included screening, drying, gluing, formation and pressing. In this study, the composition of raw material (100% industrial wood particles, 90% industrial wood particles and 10% rice husk, 80% industrial wood particles and 20% rice husk, 70% industrial wood particles and 30% rice husk) was considered as a variable factor and the other factors including the resin consumption (10% based on dry weight of the board), pressing temperature (180 °C), pressing pressure (25 kg/cm2) and pressing time (4 minutes) were considered as fixed factors. A total of 12 laboratory boards with three replications were produced for each treatment. Then, the samples were prepared from each board according to the EN326-1 guidelines. Physical and mechanical tests included measurement of water absorption and thickness swelling after 2 and 24 hours of immersion in water, bending strength, modulus of elasticity and internal bonding. The results were analyzed based on a complete randomized design within the framework of a factorial experiment by SPSS software. Duncan's multiple range test was used to compare mean values.Results: The results of this study showed that the composition of raw materials affects all physical and mechanical properties of manufactured boards. Increasing of rice husk consumption decreased the bending strength, modulus of elasticity and internal bonding and also increased the water absorption and thickness swelling after 2 and 24 hours immersion in water.Conclusion: In general, the results of current study revealed that consumption of rice husk in small quantity (up to 10% composition of the raw material) can provide boards with acceptable physical and mechanical properties; but higher amounts, lead to a decrease in physical and mechanical properties of the boards. Therefore, small amounts of rice husk can be used as substituted raw materials in combination with industrial wood particles in particleboard industry.
Research Paper
Composite wood products
Morteza Ghanbari; vahid vaziri; Farshid Faraji; loya jamalirad
Abstract
Background and objective: Wood, as a natural and renewable material, in addition to its numerous advantages, possess some disadvantages, including its deterioration when exposed to outdoor conditions and its dimensional instability due to fluctuations in relative humidity in the surrounding environment. ...
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Background and objective: Wood, as a natural and renewable material, in addition to its numerous advantages, possess some disadvantages, including its deterioration when exposed to outdoor conditions and its dimensional instability due to fluctuations in relative humidity in the surrounding environment. Heat treatment can enhance the dimensional stability of panel products, such as particleboard, fiberboard, and OSB. Because heat treatment causes chemical changes in wood, including decrease in hemicellulose and the number of hydroxyl groups. The main objective of this research was to assess the effect of steam pretreatment of orchid tree pruning - wood particles on the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard.
Materials and methods: Industrial wood particles from Sanate Choube Shomal Company were used. The ratio of wood chips to orchid tree pruning was used at the level of 70:30. Heat pretreatment was conducted on the wood particles at the temperature of 180 °C with three different retention times (15, 30, and 45 minutes). Urea formaldehyde resin was applied at 10 percent level based on the dry weight of the raw material as well as ammonium chloride was used as a catalyst at a 2 percent level of the dry weight of the adhesive. After the heat treatment and the mixing processes, the raw materials were formed into a mat and then pressed at temperature of 160 °C for 5 minutes. The physical and mechanical properties of the boards were evaluated according to European standards test methods (EN326-1). The analysis of the physical and mechanical properties of the panels were performed using variance analysis at a 95% probability level.
Results: The results showed that the boards made from treated particles with a 45-minute treatment duration exhibited the highest bending strength, modulus of elasticity, and internal bonding. Since heat treatment softens and ramified the lignin and increased the crystallization of cellulose, which improves the strength of the board. Thickness swelling and water absorption of the boards were significantly improved with increased treatment duration. The main reason for dimensional stability can be attributed reduction of hemicellulose content and hydroxyl groups within the wood component.
Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, heat treatment significantly improved the dimensional stability of the boards. Bending strength, modulus of elasticity, and internal bonding in the treated samples displayed the highest measured values. In comparison to the properties of the treated boards at 30-minute and 45-minute duration demonstrated the potential to produce particleboards with desirable attributes suitable for interior application (Type P2) for application in dry conditions.
Research Paper
Pulp and paper
Arman Sadafi Ardejani; Esmaeil Rasooly Garmaroody; Pyam Ghorbannezhad sorkhkolaei
Abstract
Background and purpose: Cellulose fiber has an anionic property to some extent due to having acid groups created during the chemical cooking and pulp bleaching. These acid groups may be carboxylic groups (COOH) which have more activity and reactivity compared to the hydroxyl groups present on the carbohydrates ...
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Background and purpose: Cellulose fiber has an anionic property to some extent due to having acid groups created during the chemical cooking and pulp bleaching. These acid groups may be carboxylic groups (COOH) which have more activity and reactivity compared to the hydroxyl groups present on the carbohydrates of lignocellulosic materials. If it is possible to increase the number of these groups on the fiber surface, it can improve the strength of the final paper. This research was done in order to improve the characteristics of kraft pulp from Chuka pulp and Paper Company by using acid oxidation method with hydrogen peroxide.
Materials and methods: In this research, kraft pulp, which was collected from Chuka Company, was used as a raw material. In this regard, first, kraft pulp were subjected to acid oxidation treatment using hydrogen peroxide the rate of 1, 3, 5 and 10% at 85 °C, in 90 min., pH = 4 and consistency of 2.5%. At the end of this step, the pulps were thoroughly washed with distilled water and used for the next steps. Then the structural characteristics of the fibers such as kappa number, WRV, carboxyl groups, viscosity and FT-IR analysis were evaluated and compared with the control sample of Chuka kraft pulp. SPSS software was used for the statistical analysis of this research and the data were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance technique. The comparison between different samples and treatments was done based on the grouping of averages and by Duncan's test method at a confidence level of 95%.
Results: The results showed that the oxidized pulps with up to 3% peroxide consumption had the lowest kappa, carboxyl groups and viscosity and the highest WRV. Increasing the consumption of peroxide the rate of greater than 3% has caused an increase in Kappa number, carboxyl groups and viscosity, and instead they have faced with the decrease in WRV. These changes were also confirmed by FT-IR evaluations. The reason for the decrease in kappa number up to 3% concentration is due to the removal of lignin from the fiber wall, and the reason for its increase in concentrations at more than 3% peroxide, is probably due to the creation of acidic hexuronic groups during the oxidation process, which usually cause errors in the measurement of kappa. In addition, the removal of lignin improved the WRV properties of the fibers and further reduced this property. The content of carboxyl groups for both alkaline and acidic conditions seems to be more or less unchanged, which means that in C6, most aldehydes are converted into carboxyl groups, and in C2 and C3, oxidation often causes the formation of ketones. On the other hand, it seems that increasing the carboxyl groups in treatments above 3% has led to an increase in the molecular weight of cellulose, which has increased the viscosity.
Conclusion: The evaluation of the results showed that the oxidation of acidic hydrogen peroxide has modified and improved the characteristics of kraft pulp, and its effects are expected to be positive on the characteristics of the final papers. In this regard, 1% and 3% acid oxidation treatments with hydrogen peroxide seems more suitable for paper production.
Research Paper
Pulp and paper
bardia sodeifi; Seyed Hassan Sharifi
Abstract
Background and objectives: The use of polymers with petroleum derivatives in the packaging industry has caused environmental problems due to their non-biodegradability. Development of active and biodegradable packaging is possible by coating biopolymers on packaging materials. In this research, we tried ...
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Background and objectives: The use of polymers with petroleum derivatives in the packaging industry has caused environmental problems due to their non-biodegradability. Development of active and biodegradable packaging is possible by coating biopolymers on packaging materials. In this research, we tried to use biodegradable materials that are easily decomposed after use in the environment. In this regard, the effect of different treatments with Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh), purified Guar gum (PGG) and Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) on resistance and barrier properties of paper was evaluated.
Methodology: Carboxymethyl chitosan powder and purified Guar gum were dissolved separately in distilled water along with glycerol (40% by weight of biopolymers) as softener. Then the bio composite solutions were heated on a magnetic stirrer for 120 and 90 minutes until the biopolymers were completely dissolved. At the end, they were kept in a static state for 30 minutes to cool down and remove the air bubbles completely. Also, nanocrystal cellulose suspension (3, 6 and 9% based on the weight of biopolymers) was prepared by dissolving in distilled water by ultrasonic device for 3 minutes and then was added to bio composite solution with mixing ratios (30:70, 50:50 and 70:30) and the final suspension was heated on a magnetic stirrer for 120 minutes and it was completely dissolved. Then, in order to cool down and remove the air bubbles completely, it was put in a static state for 30 minutes. At the end, it was centrifuged and let it stand still for 2 minutes to completely remove the air bubbles. Finally, 25 grams of gel was poured into a polystyrene petri dish with a diameter of 10 cm and the petri dishes were placed in an oven at 50 °C for 24 hours. Also, the morphological tests of Carboxymethyl chitosan and bio Nano composite films and the resistance and barrier characteristics of the treatments were studied.
Results: The results of measuring the resistance characteristics of biopolymer films showed that with the increase of Nanocrystal cellulose up to the level of 6%, the tensile strength of the treatments increased significantly, and the highest amount was related to the films CMCh/PGG/NCC (50/50/6%). Also, with the increase of cellulose Nanocrystals up to the level of 9% due to the accumulation of Nanocrystal particles in one area, the tensile strength of bio nano composites decreased. Also, due to the origin of its crystallinity, cellulose Nanocrystals led to the brittleness and reduced flexibility of the treatments to reduce the Elongation at break of bio nano composite films. The solubility of bio composite films has decreased by adding NCC to the biopolymer matrix due to the establishment of hydrogen interactions between the components of this matrix with nanoparticles at different levels, and the lowest water Solubility is related to the films CMCh/PGG/NCC (50/50/6%). The water vapor permeability of the treatments decreased by adding NCC to the CMCh/PGG matrix due to reasons such as the crystalline structure and the hydrophobic nature of cellulose fibers, the reduction of pores and the reduction of the diffusion coefficient of vapor molecules, and the best impermeability was obtained by films CMCh/PGG/NCC (50/50/6%) because of uniform dispersion of nanoparticles.
Conclusion: According to the results, by adding cellulose Nanocrystals to the composite suspension; Tensile strength, resistance to water solubility and impermeability to water vapor of the films increased and only their Elongation at break decreased and the best resistance and barrier properties of bio nano composites produced in the presence of 6% Nanocrystalline cellulose were obtained.
Research Paper
Pulp and paper
Jafar Ebrahimpour Kasmani; Ahmad Samariha
Abstract
Background and objectives: Fruit packaging cardboard protects fruits from impacts, pressure, and damage during transportation, while helping to maintain their freshness and quality. To achieve these objectives, it is essential to enhance the strength of the cardboard and minimize the interaction between ...
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Background and objectives: Fruit packaging cardboard protects fruits from impacts, pressure, and damage during transportation, while helping to maintain their freshness and quality. To achieve these objectives, it is essential to enhance the strength of the cardboard and minimize the interaction between its interior and exterior. At the same time, it must be biodegradable, durable, and environmentally friendly. Kraft paper is recognized as a suitable option for preserving the quality of fruits. Therefore, this research aims to improve the barrier and mechanical properties of cardboard by applying coatings of nano-graphene, fluorine, and zein, both separately and in combination, to provide consumers with higher quality cardboard.
Methodology: The brown kraft liner paper with a basis weight of 120 grams was obtained from the Mazandaran Wood and Paper Company. The nanographene type AO-4 was sourced from Graphene Supermarket in the USA, zein protein from Sigma Aldrich, and fluorine from Mine Kavaran Production Group. For coating, the nanographene, zein, and fluorine were weighed in specified weight percentages and mixed with 100 grams of distilled water for 30 minutes at 50 degrees Celsius, depending on the treatment conditions. Then, 2.5 grams of styrene-butadiene latex and 0.5 grams of dispersant D200 were added to the mixture and homogenized for 20 minutes at 1500 RPM. A 5% cationic starch solution was also added as a retention aid to enhance the coating. The coating solutions were applied to the paper sheets using an Auto Bar Coater (GBC - A4 GIST Co., Ltd). The physical and mechanical properties were measured according to TAPPI and ISO standards. The experimental design was completely randomized, and data analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan's test at a 95% confidence level.
Results: The one-way ANOVA analysis indicated that there are significant differences at the 5% level among the thickness swelling, water absorption, and porosity of the 8 types of paper. The greatest thickness swelling was observed in the brown liner paper coated with graphene and fluorine, while the lowest thickness swelling was found in the control sample, with a difference of 27% between the maximum and minimum thickness swelling. The lowest water absorption was noted in the brown liner board paper coated with zein, fluorine, and nano-graphene, with a difference of 647.5% between the maximum and minimum water absorption. Additionally, the least porosity was attributed to the paper coated with nano-graphene, showing a difference of 7365.8% between the maximum and minimum porosity. Density analysis revealed that the highest density was observed in the sample coated with zein and nano-graphene, with a difference of 14.5% between the maximum and minimum density. Furthermore, the highest surface smoothness was recorded in the paper coated with nano-graphene and zein, with a difference of 23.9% between the maximum and minimum surface smoothness. For the tensile and tear resistance index, no significant difference was observed at the 5% level, with differences of 15.5% and 26.4% between the maximum and minimum tensile and tear resistance indices, respectively. However, for burst resistance, the lowest value was found in the paper coated with fluorine and zein, with a difference of 14.2% between the maximum and minimum burst resistance. In terms of ring crush test, the highest resistance was related to the paper coated with zein, fluorine, and nano-graphene, with a difference of 16.1% between the maximum and minimum ring crush test.
Conclusion: The goal of food packaging is to extend shelf life and protect against spoilage factors. Paper and cardboard, as packaging materials, have specific advantages and disadvantages, including a lack of resistance to moisture. This research addresses the improvement of the physical and mechanical properties of kraft liner paper for fruit packaging and has demonstrated that coating increases thickness swelling and reduces water absorption. These coatings enhance the prevention of water absorption by penetrating the pores of the paper. Various factors affect water permeability, including the paper structure and the type of coating. The use of nano-graphene and zein leads to a reduction in paper porosity and an improvement in its mechanical properties. In this study, coating the paper with nano-graphene and zein significantly increased barrier properties and improved paper quality. Additionally, the results indicate that these compounds can help reduce water absorption and porosity of the paper.
