Effect of corn stalks and palm fibers ratio on physical, mechanical, and durability properties of particleboard

Abstract

Corn stalk and palm fiber are potential non-wood material as a raw material in the manufacture of particleboards. The purpose of this study was to analyze the corn stalk and palm fiber ratio to the physical, mechanical, and durability properties of particleboard. In this study, corn stalk and palm fiber were made into particles with a length of 7 cm respectively. Isocyanate adhesive content used in board manufacturing was 10% with a solid content of 97%. The process of making boards using a hot press machine was set at a temperature of 160°C, the pressure of 30 kg/cm2 for 5 minutes. The result showed that the higher proportion of palm fiber to decrease in the thickness swelling value indicates an improvement in the dimensional stability value even though it has not yet met the standards. The mechanical parameters of the board showed a tendency to decrease with the increasing composition of the palm fiber. The durability test of particleboard showed that the board given the palm fibers were more resistant to termite attack.