Author(s)

Stephen J. Mitchual^1*, Prosper Mensah², Kwasi Frimpong-Mensah³, Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi¹

¹Department of Construction and Wood Technology Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi, Ghana.
²CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.
³Department of Wood Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

This study investigated the possible use of four agro-forest residues generated in Ghana as an alternative raw material for particleboard manufacture using cassava starch and urea formaldehyde as adhesives. The particle size of the materials ranged from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. An industrial pressing machine was used to press the homogeneous single layer particleboard. Physical and mechanical properties were determined in accordance with ASTM D 1037-06a and ASTM D 7519-11. The results indicate that the density of the particleboards produced ranged from 421 kg/m³ to 598 kg/m³. The water absorption property of the particleboards also ranged from 7.66% to 22.41% and 18.17% to 59.46% for 2-hour and 24-hour immersions respectively. Additionally, the thickness swelling of the particleboards ranged from 3.38% to 5.03% and 9.37% to 21.49% for 2-hour, and 24-hour immersions respectively. The results further indicate that the modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, internal bond strength and hardness of the particleboards produced for both cassava starch and urea formaldehyde were adequate. Comparatively, for all the agro-forest materials used for this study, the physical and mechanical properties of the particleboards produced using urea formaldehyde as adhesive was better than those produced using cassava starch as adhesive. It could be concluded that the particleboards produced could be used for indoor applications or interior furnishings, under dry conditions. Additionally, it is recommended that further studies that combine cassava starch and urea formaldehyde as adhesives be conducted, as well as studies on combining plantain pseudostem and cocoa pod in particleboard production.

Agro-Forest Residue, Cassava Starch, Particleboard, Physico-Mechanical Properties, Urea Formaldehyde

Mitchual, S. , Mensah, P. , Frimpong-Mensah, K. and Appiah-Kubi, E. (2020) Characterization of Particleboard Produced from Residues of Plantain pseudostem, Cocoa Pod and Stem and Ceiba. Materials Sciences and Applications, 11, 817-836. doi: 10.4236/msa.2020.1112054.