Local production for local supplies.

Cocoboards is a new, complete natural product, made of shredded coconut husks, pressed to boards with natural binder, designed and manufactured in the Philippines. Locally available coconut husks enhance the independency of the construction sector from expensive imported building material.

 

 

Raw material

Milled and sundried coconut husk and tannin extract from the mimosa/wattle barks as binder.

Coconut Husk

01_Raw Material

02_Mixing tannin

 

 

Production

1) Laboratory scale

Ten millimetres thick medium density fibreboards (MDF, 700-750 kg/m³) are being manufactured varying the density, the gluing factor, the initial moisture content, the pressing temperature and the pressing time. Different combinations of these factors were chosen accordingly to a fractional factorial experimental design, and statistically analysed.

Low density fibreboards (LDF, 250-300 kg/m³) were also manufactured and their thermal conductivity measured. The produced LDF (40 mm in thickness) showed a thermal conductivity satisfying the JIS A 5905 requirements (Class A insulation boards).

LDF and MDF boards were both produced in the Philippines for testing the board resistance to insect, fungal attack outdoor climate and weather conditions and fire.

 

2) Scaling up

Currently there is no hot pressing plant of industrial scale (2.4 x 1.2 m) for the production of particleboards or fibreboards operating in the Philippines. The only available plants can produce low density mattresses or plywood.

A hot press for the pilot manufacturing of semi industrial scale LDF and MDF (1.2 x 0.6 m) was identified in Legazpi in a company which develops and produces products made from coconut since 20 years. (Cocotech).

From June to September 2016, more than 200 boards have been produced to

  • test and optimize the production process
  • optimize the composition of the boards
  • provide construction material for the pilot application

 

 

03_Mixture in Tumbler

 

04_Frame preparation

 

05_Into the press

 

07_Board samples

 

medium_density_board_2

 

Application

The pilot application includes wall covering, ceiling and roof insulation.

 

08_wall application_1

 

09_wall application_3