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Internal finishing materials for large auditoriums or public facilities are regulated in South Korea to ensure their flame-retardant performance. Flame-retardant treatment of low-density fiberboard (LDF), an eco-friendly material, was performed to expand its use as a sound absorber by improving its fire safety. In this study, an LDF with a target density of 0.15 g/cm3 was prepared from radiata pine wood fibers and melamine–urea– formaldehyde resin, and recommended amounts of commercially available flame retardants (liquid type) were applied immediately after hot pressing. A powder-type flame retardant was blended with the resin used in LDF manufacture. The surface color and material changed partially depending on the flame-retardant type. The external application method slightly increased the moisture content and density, but it did not affect the physical properties of the LDF. The flame-retardant treatment reduced the emission of formaldehyde, as a scavenger. After treatment, the char area and char length of the LDFs decreased significantly to 9.42–23.64%, and 6.11–11.91%, respectively. The sound absorption performance of the flame-retardant-treated LDFs improved 4.08–9.11%, while their thermal-insulation performance remained unaffected. The flame-retardant-treated LDFs satisfy the regulation of flame retardancy, while maintaining sound absorption and thermal insulation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As petrochemical products (including plastics) contribute to the destruction of the natural environment, the use of such products must be reduced. Plastics account for 90% of the insulation materials used in Korea, including extruded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polystyrene (XPS), and urethane foam. Wood-fiber insulation board (WIB) is a promising natural alternative to petrochemical insulation. This study aimed to determine the optimal amount of adhesive resin required for manufacturing WIB. Fireresistant WIB was prepared with a melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resin (ranging from 20% to 35%), and the physicochemical and fireresistant properties were determined. Higher resin content led to improved physical properties, while the thermal conductivity was unaffected. With the exception of 35% resin content in the WIB, the formaldehyde emissions of the WIB samples complied with the Korean Industrial Standards requirements for Super E0 grade (less than 0.3 mg per L). The physicochemical properties of the WIB samples were sufficient for use as an insulating material, even at 20% resin content. A perpendicular flame test revealed that all samples formed a carbonized layer to prevent flame penetration, except for the specimen with 20% of the resin content. The cone calorimeter testing indicated that the MUF adhesives acted as an effective fire retardant at resin contents above 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]