Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Healthy Processed Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #197140
Title: Physical Properties of Medium density Particleboard Made from Saline Eucalyptus

Author
item ZHENG, YI - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA
item Pan, Zhongli
item ZHANG, RUIHONG - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA
item JENKINS, BRYAN - UC DAVIS, DAVIS, CA

Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2006
Publication Date: 7/9/2006
Citation: Yi Zheng, Zhongli Pan, Ruihong Zhang, Bryan M. Jenkins, 2006. Physical Properties of Medium-density Particleboard Made from Saline Eucalyptus. Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE). Paper No. 066215:1-16. St. Joseph, Mich.:ASABE

Interpretive Summary: This research was aimed at developing new and value-added applications for saline Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus cinerea. This study investigated the effects of particle sizes, adhesives, bark content (BC), resin content, hot water treatment and wood species (non-saline and saline) on the mechanical and water resistance properties of the eucalyptus-derived medium-density particleboards. It was concluded that saline eucalyptus was an appropriate material for manufacturing particleboards.

Technical Abstract: Eucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus cinerea, has the potential to be used as a biomass crop to help manage saline subsurface drainage water in arid land where irrigated agriculture is practiced. In this research, saline eucalyptus was used to manufacture medium-density particleboard in an attempt to develop value-added applications for the saline wood. This study investigated the effects of wood species (non-saline and saline), particle size, adhesive, bark content (BC), resin content (RC), and hot water treatment on the mechanical and water resistance properties of the medium-density particleboards made with eucalyptus woods. The measured mechanical properties included tensile strength (TS), modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and internal bond strength (IB) of the finished particleboards. The water absorption and thickness swelling were tested to evaluate the water resistance properties. The particleboard made with 4% polymeric methane diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) resin had better qualities except for MOR than the particleboard made with 7% urea formaldehyde (UF). The particles of medium size (20 to 40 mesh) gave higher particleboard qualities, except for TS, than the smaller size (40 to 60 mesh) and larger size (10 to 20 mesh) particles. The qualities of particleboard were improved as the content of UF resin increased from 7% to 16%. The mechanical properties were deteriorated as BC increased from 0% to 15.4%, but the water resistance was improved. The particleboard made from hot water-treated wood particles had better qualities compared with particleboard made from untreated particles. The particleboard made from saline wood had much better qualities than the particleboard made from non-saline wood. It has been concluded that saline eucalyptus is an appropriate material for manufacturing particleboards.