Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Mar 28;17(7):925.
doi: 10.3390/polym17070925.

Valorization of Extracted Bark for Particleboard Production: A Life-Cycle Impact Assessment

Marco Morandini  1   2   3 , Marius Cătălin Barbu  1   4 , Rozália Váňová  5 , Stefan Kain  1 , Jan Tippner  3 , Alexander Petutschnigg  1 , Lubos Kristak  6 , Günther Kain  1   7 , Thomas Sepperer  1 , Thomas Schnabel  1   4
Affiliations

Valorization of Extracted Bark for Particleboard Production: A Life-Cycle Impact Assessment

Marco Morandini et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

The enhanced use of wood residues from the timber industry contributes to mitigating the global climate crisis. Currently, bark, a by-product of the timber industry, is primarily burned for thermal energy generation. However, with the growing demand for lignocellulosic products and the emphasis on extending life cycles, it would be more beneficial to prioritize substantial uses of bark over thermal utilization. Although numerous methods for substantial bark utilization have been explored, a significant untapped potential remains. The extractives obtained through water extraction, for instance, can be applied to various further uses like biopolymers or medical applications. This study investigates the impact of hot water extraction on the mechanical and physical properties of bark-based panels, with the aim of extending the life cycle of tree bark and its valorization in bio-based composites. The findings demonstrate that hot water extraction can enhance the bending properties (modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity) of bark-based panels. Additionally, the extractives obtained from the process have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and adhesive industries. The study also includes an LCIA that highlights the differences between the three scenarios addressed in this research, namely energy generation from bark-based biomass, extraction of bark, and use of extracted bark residues in the production of bark-based particleboard.

Keywords: LCIA; bark; beech; larch; material flow analysis; phenolic content; spruce.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Simple process flow diagram and system boundaries for the analysis of three possible scenarios concerning superior valorization of bark.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hot water extraction process of tree bark, with dewatering of extracted bark for further added-value applications.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Micrographs of untreated (left) and extracted larch bark (middle). SEM micrograph of extracted larch bark (right).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Density of the bark-based panels produced with unextracted and hot water-extracted raw materials. × marking the average value.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Specific thickness swelling of the bark-based panels produced with unextracted and hot water-extracted raw materials. × marking the average value.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Specific internal bond of the bark-based panels produced with unextracted and hot water-extracted raw materials (A); specific modulus of rupture of the extracted bark-based panels (n = 5) (B) and specific modulus of elasticity of the extracted bark-based panels (n = 5) (C). × marking the average value.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Different scenarios for the valorization of raw material bark.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Scenario 1, involving energy generation from bark biomass; Scenario 2, involving hot water extraction of the bark and subsequently the energy generation from bark biomass; and Scenario 3, involving hot water extraction and the manufacturing of bark-based particleboards.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Scenario 1, involving energy generation from bark biomass; Scenario 2, involving hot water extraction of the bark and subsequently the energy generation from bark biomass; and Scenario 3, involving hot water extraction and the manufacturing of bark-based particleboards.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Rosell J.A. Bark in Woody Plants: Understanding the Diversity of a Multifunctional Structure. Integr. Comp. Biol. 2019;59:535–547. doi: 10.1093/icb/icz057. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Holubcik M., Jandacka J., Palacka M., Kantova N., Jachniak E., Pavlik P. The Impact of Bark Content in Wood Pellets on Emission Production During Combustion in Small Heat Source. Commun.-Sci. Lett. Univ. Zilina. 2017;19:94–100. doi: 10.26552/com.C.2017.2A.94-100. - DOI
    1. Krigstin S., Helmeste C., Jia H., Johnson K.E., Wetzel S., Volpe S., Faizal W., Ferrero F. Comparative Analysis of Bark and Woodchip Biomass Piles for Enhancing Predictability of Self-Heating. Fuel. 2019;242:699–709. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2019.01.056. - DOI
    1. Anerud E., Routa J., Bergström D., Eliasson L. Fuel Quality of Stored Spruce Bark–Influence of Semi-Permeable Covering Material. Fuel. 2020;279:118467. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118467. - DOI
    1. Elisa P., Alessandro P., Andrea A., Silvia B., Mathis P., Dominik P., Manuela R., Francesca T., Voglar G.E., Tine G., et al. Environmental and Climate Change Impacts of Eighteen Biomass-Based Plants in the Alpine Region: A Comparative Analysis. J. Clean. Prod. 2020;242:118449. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118449. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources