Panel containing highly-cutinized bamboo flakes

Abstract

A wood composite panel includes bamboo strands cut from the outer cutinized portion of a bamboo culm and bound together with an isocyanate binder resin.

1 . A panel, comprising:
 bamboo strands cut from only an outer cutinized layer of a bamboo culm along its longitudinal axis; and   an isocyanate binder resin, wherein the isocyanate binder resin binds the bamboo strands together.   
   
   
       2 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the bamboo strands are cut from the outer half of the bamboo culm. 
   
   
       3 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the bamboo strands are cut from the outer third of the bamboo culm. 
   
   
       4 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the bamboo strands each have a thickness of no more than about 0.2 inches. 
   
   
       5 . The panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the bamboo strands each have a thickness of about 0.01 inches to about 0.15 inches. 
   
   
       6 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the bamboo strands each have a width greater than about 0.1 inches. 
   
   
       7 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the bamboo strands each have a length of at least about 2 inches. 
   
   
       8 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate binder resin is MDI. 
   
   
       9 . The panel according to  claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate binder resin is about 2 wt % to about 12 wt % of the dry weight of the bamboo strands. 
   
   
       10 . A panel having parallel first and second longitudinal edges, the panel comprising:
 a composite wood component defining a mating surface;   a bamboo layer defining a mating surface adjacent the composite wood component mating surface, the bamboo layer comprising bamboo strands substantially oriented in a direction parallel to the longitudinal edges, wherein the bamboo strands are cut from an outer cutinized portion of the bamboo culm and are bonded to each other by an isocyanate binder resin.   
   
   
       11 . The panel according to  claim 10 , wherein the isocyanate binder resin is MDI. 
   
   
       12 . The panel according to  claim 11 , wherein the composite wood component comprises strands selected from aspen wood and pine wood. 
   
   
       13 . A panel, comprising:
 a layer of oriented bamboo strands cut from an outer portion of a bamboo culm, wherein the outer portion is the portion of the bamboo culm that is within about two millimeters of its outer diameter;   an isocyanate binder resin coating the oriented bamboo strands, wherein the isocyanate binder comprises about 2 wt % to about 12 wt % of the dry weight of the oriented bamboo strands,   wherein the oriented bamboo strands have lengths of at least about three inches long, widths of at least about 0.1 inches, and thicknesses of no more than about 0.2 inch.   
   
   
       14 . The panel according to  claim 13 , wherein the panel has first and second longitudinal edges and wherein the bamboo strands are oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges. 
   
   
       15 . The panel according to  claim 14 , further comprising a second layer of oriented bamboo strands cut from the outer portion of the bamboo culm, and an isocyanate binder resin coating the oriented bamboo strands, wherein the isocyanate binder comprises about 2 wt % to about 12 wt % of the dry weight of the oriented bamboo strands, wherein the oriented bamboo strands generally all have lengths of at least about three inches long, widths of at least about 0.1 inches, and thicknesses no more than about 0.2 inch, and wherein the bamboo strands of the second layer are substantially oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal edges. 
   
   
       16 . The panel according to  claim 14 , further comprising a layer of oriented strands, wherein the oriented strands comprises strands of wood other than bamboo. 
   
   
       17 . The panel according to  claim 13 , wherein the layer of oriented bamboo strands further includes strands of wood other than bamboo.