Abstract
The depletion of log resources encourages research into alternative ways to sustain the wood supply. Therefore, the 4-year-old Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM) clones series, RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025, were chosen as potential raw materials for particleboard in this study. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of planting density and rubber tree clones on the mechanical and physical properties of single-layer particleboard. The planting densities used were low, moderate-low, moderate-high, and high, representing 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 trees/ha, respectively. Prior to manufacturing, the RRIM 2000 series clone trees were harvested, cut, chipped, flaked, and screened. The mechanical and physical properties were evaluated in accordance with the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS A 5908-2003). The findings revealed that both planting density and clone had a signifi- cant impact on the mechanical and physical properties of particleboard with a thickness of 10 mm and a density of 700 kg/m3 . RRIM 2020 specimens with low planting density had superior modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and internal bonding (IB) values of 2415, 19, and 1.7 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, moderate-low planting density demonstrated the lowest thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA) values and was comparable to control particleboard from commercial clone Prang Besar (PB), PB260. In terms of rubber clones, RRIM 2020 particleboard met the minimum requirements of the JIS standard for mechanical properties and outperformed RRIM 2025. This study recommended a low planting density of 500 trees/ha and the RRIM 2020 clone as a suitable raw material for particleboard manufacturing with a ten percent urea formaldehyde resin content.
Highlights
For several decades, rubberwood has been recognised as a major timber in the production of wood-based products
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of four planting densities of Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM) 2000 series clones (RRIM 2020 and RRIM 2025) on the mechanical and physical properties of particleboard
The interaction between planting density and rubber clone had a significant influence on the modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bonding (IB), thickness swelling (TS), and water absorption (WA) properties
Summary
Rubberwood has been recognised as a major timber in the production of wood-based products. Rubberwood PB 260 clone is the most well-established, widely planted, and widely used in commercial plantations. Aside from that, rubberwood is the most common material used in Malaysian wooden furniture. The availability of rubberwood supply drove the success of the wood industries in Malaysia and Thailand [2,3]. Rubberwood logs are harvested 25 to 30 years after planting in Malaysian plantations. The Malaysia Rubber Board (MRB), formerly known as the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM), has consistently provided new improvements to the rubber industry in order to improve latex yield, in breeding and selection of rubber clones. The RRIM 2000 series clones have been identified as rubber clones with high wood volume due to their branching habits, as well as an outstanding latex yield of over 2000 kg/ha/year [4]
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