Evaluation of Physical Properties of Particleboard Produced from Sugarcane Leaves

Abstract

The southwest region of the state of Goiás stands out for agriculture, especially the production of grain and sugarcane. This high agricultural production has a result of generation of agroindustrial waste and it has a high potential to be exploited for particleboard manufacturing. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the use of sugarcane leaves in the production of particleboards, compared to eucalyptus panels, through the evaluation of their physical properties. Three panels were made with 100% sugarcane leaves, and three with eucalyptus wood were produced. They were produced with a nominal density of 0.60 g/cm3. 12% urea-formaldehyde adhesives were applied based on their resin solid content. The used pressing cycle was: pressure of 4.00 MPa, temperature of 180°C and time of 15 minutes. After production, the same properties were evaluated on their water absorption and thickness swelling after 2 and 24 hours of immersion. A randomized design was used, and the averages were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 5% significance. Based on these results, it can be seen that panels produced with sugarcane leaves exhibited higher values for physical properties than eucalyptus panels.Keywords: Thickness swelling, waste ,water absorption.