Industrial-scale manufacturing of particleboards using agricultural waste camellia oleifera shells

Abstract

The search for materials made from renewable resources and free of toxic substances is a global trend towards cleaner production, which can be extended to the development of wood-based panels. However, the industrial sector of wood-based panels has been facing several gaps and challenges related to the shortage of wood raw materials for panel manufacturing with the toxic emissions of traditional adhesives. Camellia oleifera shell (COS), as a common waste, is a potential alternative raw material for wood-based panels and also has an important role in alleviating environmental stress. Faced with these problems, the aim of this study was to assess the technical feasibility and environmental aspects of manufacturing particleboard from COS waste at scale. For this purpose, particles made from conventional eucalyptus species were used as particleboard reinforcing phase. Particleboard was manufactured and tested by varying some production parameters, namely: of 10, 20 and 30% content of COS addition; and adhesive types of melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) and polymeric 4–4 diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI) adhesives. The results showed that the physical-mechanical properties of COS-based particleboards were satisfactory for a 10% MUF resin loading or a 3.5% pMDI resin loading. COS-based particleboards with 20–30% COS content similarly met the standards and requirements for non-structural applications. This study presents an informative discussion for decision makers in the wood-based panel industry, providing a trade-off between lower adhesive application and higher COS substitution that is more suitable for direct production at total plant scale.