Foam from wood

Scientists at the University of Freiburg in Germany are working on a project called Biofoambark to take advantage of scrap in the wood industry, turning them into foam form used in construction.

Raw material for biofoam is the tannin in the bark, properly handled to create a hard foam, which will then be used as insulation for buildings, especially the type that does not burn. In addition, the Biofoam project is aimed at processing wood waste into biofuels.

The Biofoam project has garnered the attention of experts at the Fraunhofer Association, which awarded the green building award. Biofoambark studies are supported by the German government through the Renewable Resources Agency. The University of Freiburg is also funded by the Fraunhofer Institute for more efficient development of solar energy.

Freiburg University is not the first place to try to make foam from wood, according to Gizmag. Scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem are also working on foam from scrap paper mills.