Method of making thermoplastic hardboard from acetylated mat

摘要

A wet-felted mat of wood fibers is acetylated by coating the mat with a quantity of acetic anhydride ranging from 5 to 70% by volume of the mat and heating the mat at a temperature of from 150 DEG to 300 DEG F. while confining substantially all of the acetic anhydride within the mat for about 20 to 120 minutes. The acetylated mat is pressed into hardboard which may be bent into a variety of loops, spirals, helices, and other curvilinear shapes to make articles of furniture, protective packaging products and the like.