Production of low formaldehyde emission particleboard by using new formulated formaldehyde based resin

In order to preserve the global market competitiveness, the particleboard industry was affronted with challenges to reduce formaldehyde emission while maintaining the quality strength properties of particleboard. To counter the issue, particleboards with five different surface-to-core ratio were fabricated by applying newly formulated UF and MUF resins which were 30% surface: 70% core (3:7); 40% surface: 60% core (4:6); 50% surface: 50% core (5:5); 60% surface: 40% core (6:4) and 70% surface: 30% core (7:3) based on dry particle weight respectively. Formaldehyde emission and strength properties of the fabricated particleboard were investigated based on Japanese Industrial Standard, which are JIS A 1460 and JIS A 5908, respectively. All the MUF-bonded particleboard complied with the type 18 standard, whereas all the UF-bonded particleboard produced complied with type 13 except thickness swelling of the UF-bonded particleboard. The surface-to-core ratio applied in three layered particleboard for both resins exerted considerable influence on the strength properties and formaldehyde emission of particleboards produced from both resins. MUF-bonded particleboard with 40% surface and 60% core recorded the lowest formaldehyde emission (0.09 mg L-1) and highest strength properties. For UF-bonded particleboard, the ratio of 60% surface and 40% core showed the lowest formaldehyde emission (0.28 mg L-1) with better strength properties. This study highlighted the potential of MUF resin to replace UF resin due to its ability to produce F**** particleboard with better strength properties and lower formaldehyde emission according to JIS A 5908

Production of particleboard using new formulation melamine erea formaldehyde adhesive for low formaldehyde emission

Particleboard is an engineered wood panel product consisted of particle bonded with formulated adhesives together with heat and pressure. In recent years, air pollution had become a concerning issue around the globe, as formaldehyde was classified as a type of carcinogen which can cause cancer. Urea formaldehyde (UF) is a common type of adhesive which used as a binder for production of particleboard. However, studies found out that the amount of formaldehyde emitted from particleboard bonded with UF was higher. With the stringent enforcement in air pollution, other types of adhesives were introduced as binder of particleboard, including melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF) resin. The aim of this study is to determine the physical and mechanical properties and formaldehyde emission from the application of MUF resin in particleboard production. In this study, two phases of study were carried out. For the initial phase, the effect of surface-to-core ratio, which is the amount of fine particle and thick flake respectively in three-layered particleboard, was studied. Five different ratios were applied to manufactured particleboard, which were 70% core and 30% surface; 60% core and 40% surface; 50% core and 50% surface; 40% core and 60% surface; and 30% core and 70% surface. The temperature applied was 180°C and pressing time was 10.5 minutes by using RD 111 as the MUF resin. From this study, particleboard with 60% core and 40% fine was observed to provide the optimum result for strength properties and lowest formaldehyde emission. For the second phase of this study, all particleboards were produced with 60% core and 40% fine. Three MUF resins were prepared in different melamine content, which were 14.8%, 19.1% and 13.0% for RD 111, RD 114 and RD 218 respectively. Three different pressing temperatures was applied for each MUF resin, which were 170°C, 180°C and 190°C respectively, and three different pressing times of 9.5 minutes, 10.5 minutes and 11.5 minutes were applied for each pressing temperature. This study showed that MUF resins with different melamine content interacted significantly with pressing time and pressing temperature. RD 218 with lowest melamine content of 13.0% provided the optimum strength properties and formaldehyde emission. In short, all MUF-bonded particleboard obtained Super E0 (F****) classification according to JIS A 1460, with the average formaldehyde emission ranged from 0.08mg/L to 0.18mg/L. All particleboard produced complied JIS A 5908 for strength properties, except for particleboard bonded with RD 114 resins recorded some undesired strength properties

Properties of particleboard produced from admixture of rubberwood and Mahang species

Particleboard is one of the major timber products exported from Peninsular Malaysia. Apparently, the increasing price and lack of supply of rubberwood has forced the particleboard manufacturers to look for new alternative raw material to produce particleboard. Hence, the production of particleboard through mixture of fast-growing wood species will be a good solution to the depleting wood supply issue. The objective of this study was to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard produced from admixtures of rubberwood and Mahang at different proportion levels and the properties were evaluated based on the Japanese Industrial Standard for particleboard (JIS A 5908-1994). The physical and mechanical data presented here, were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD), to determine the significant differences of the variables. From the study, an increase in density resulted in increase of thickness swelling of particleboard. In addition, the water absorption for particleboard with density 500 kg m-3 was higher. For bending properties, admixture particleboard of rubberwood and Mahang had significantly lower wet and dry bending property. In terms of internal bond strength, decrease in rubberwood proportion resulted in decrease in the internal bonding strength of the particleboard