Protein Hydrolysates from Biogenic Waste as an Ecological Flame Retarder and Binder for Fiberboards

[Image: see text] The increasing demand for sustainable building materials requires alternative flame retarders, which have superior sustainability to those previously used. In this respect, we present our initial results with protein hydrolysates made from poultry-feather waste for the preparation of flame-retardant fiberboards. Impregnated wood fibers show a significantly decreased decomposition rate in the region between 300 and 450 °C, as measured by thermogravimetric analysis. Final combustion of the impregnated fibers is shifted up by 50 °C to the interval 450–500 °C and occurs stepwise rather than instantaneously as for untreated wood. At a total protein content of approx. 10 wt %, plates produced in the “wet” process are self-extinguishing and show very little subsequent smouldering. In three-point bending tests, these fiberboard prototypes were able to withstand stresses of up to 15 N/mm(2), the threshold required by DIN EN 622 for commercial, formaldehyde-bound MBH fiberboards. This indicates that the upcycled protein hydrolysates not only have an impressive flame-retarding effect but also can be used as a fully sustainable binder for a new generation of ecological fiberboards. As these boards are based solely on natural materials, they can be shredded and composted at the end of their life cycle.