Effect of Acetylation on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Prticleboard

Abstract

The effects of different levels of wood particles acetylation and resin content on the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard were investigated. Boards were made within 6 treatments at three different levels of acetyl content (WPGs of 0%, 5.11% and 10.76 %) and two levels of resin content (8 and 10 %). The results indicated that by increasing the level of particles acetylation, the density of boards was reduced whereas resin content increased this property. Equilibrium moisture content, water absorption and thickness swelling of the boards were reduced by 15.3%, 26.6% and 14.9%, respectively under optimum conditions as compared with control samples at higher acetylation levels and resin contents. MOR, MOE and IB decreased by increasing acetylation level but increasing resin content from 8 to 10 %, improved mechanical properties except for MOR which was not significantly affected by resin content. The result of this research have indicated that using 5.11% acetylation level and 10% resin content, it is possible to produce particleboard having enhanced physical properties with negligible loss of mechanical properties.

Keywords

• PARTICLEBOARD
• Acetylation
• Urea formaldehyde resin
• PHYSICAL
• properties
• MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
• Acetic anhydride