Coconut Fibre and Sawdust as Green Building Materials: A Laboratory Assessment on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Particleboards

Dg Normaswanna Binti Tawasil,Nor Hasanah Abdul Shukor Lim,Eeydzah Aminudin,Nik Mohd Zaini Nik Soh,Mohd Hamdan Ahmad,Gabriel Hoh Teck Ling,Pau Chung Leng

doi:10.3390/buildings11060256

Dg Normaswanna Binti Tawasil, Nor Hasanah Abdul Shukor Lim + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11060256

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Abstract

This paper evaluates, via a laboratory assessment, the physical properties (BS EN 323:1993, BS EN 324) and mechanical performance (BS EN 310:1993) of hybrid particleboards using agricultural wastes, namely coconut fibre and sawdust. The process begins with the preparation of the materials where they are sieved and retained with the 5-mm sieve and then oven-dried. The hybrid particleboard mixed with the addition of resin (urea formaldehyde) was sprayed and hot pressed. The hot press temperature was set at 180 °C, with the resin content of 8 wt.% and the design density of 650 kg/m3 used in producing the particleboard. The percentage/ratio of the composition of sawdust (SD) to coconut fibre (CF) varied ranging from 100SD:0CF to 70SD:30CF, 50SD:50CF, 30SD:70CF, and 0SD:100CF. Meanwhile, as for the thickness of the boards, it was categorised into three groups which are 16 mm, 20 mm, and 32 mm. The particleboards were conditioned to the room temperature for seven days before being tested for physical properties and mechanical performances. The results show that the most optimum composition of sawdust to coconut fibre is 0% sawdust to 100% coconut fibre (0SD:100CF) and the optimum thickness is 20 mm, where its density is 761.99 kg/m3, swelling thickness is 11.98%, and water absorption at 37.64%. With the modulus of elasticity of 1510 N/mm2, the modulus of rupture of 17.8 N/mm2, and the internal bonding of 1.08 N/mm2, they satisfied the universal standard of Particleboard Type P3 of BS EN 312:2010.

Highlights

According to Eurostat (2017), the pulp and paper and solid wood products industries accounted for around 4.4% (€277 billion) of total EU manufacturing production value and 5.4% (1.61 million) of total EU manufacturing employment in 2013
The objective of this study is to evaluate the physical properties and mechanical performances of a wood-based panel, which is a particleboard using agriculture wastes, namely coconut fibre and sawdust as green materials
The higher the composition of coconut fibre in the mixed design, the better the physical and mechanical performance, which can be proven by boards with thickness of 20 mm, where the thickness swelling and water absorption percentage decreased as the composition of coconut fibre is more than the composition of sawdust particle in the mixed design

Summary

Introduction

According to Eurostat (2017), the pulp and paper and solid wood products industries accounted for around 4.4% (€277 billion) of total EU manufacturing production value and 5.4% (1.61 million) of total EU manufacturing employment in 2013. If forestry and logging, as well as downstream wood-based industries, are included, the sector’s importance grows significantly (furniture, energy, chemicals, and so on). Major structural changes are taking place in the worldwide and European forest-based industries. The consumption and production of wood-based products are shifting away from the traditionally dominant forest sector regions of North America, Western Europe, and Japan, and toward the rapidly rising big economies of China, Brazil, and India [1]. Wood-based composite materials can be composed of a variety of wood elements, such as fibres, particles, flakes, veneers, or laminates. These materials’ properties can be altered by mixing, rearranging, or stratifying these elements. When raw material selection is combined with well-chosen processing variables, the end output can outperform nature’s best efforts

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