Influence of Board Density and Wood/Cement Ratio on the Properties of Wood-Cement Composite Panels Made from Date Palm Fronds and Tree Prunings of Buttonwood

Abstract

As part of a large project funded by National Plane for Science and Technology (NPST), the midribs of date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and tree prunings of buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus L.) were used to manufacture wood-cement panels (WCPs) of high-quality from lignocellulosic materials available in Saudi Arabia. This work aimed to evaluate the effects of board density and wood/cement ratio (WCR) on the properties of the produced WCPs. Such WCPs were produced under specific manufacturing variables, including targeted board density (1100, 1200 and 1300 kg.m-3) and WCR (1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 by weight). The mechanical properties and dimensional stability of the final panels were determined. The results indicated that the WCPs could be made from the two species after pre-treating the particles with an aqueous treatment and adding either calcium or magnesium chloride as an accelerator. Both the board density and WCP had significant effects on the properties of the WCPs from each species. The mechanical and dimensional properties of the WCPs increased as the board density increased from 1100 to 1300 kg.m-3. It has been found that all the mechanical properties of the WCPs were directly related to the board density. The results revealed that as the WCR increased from 1/2 to 1/4, the dimensional stabilities and mechanical properties of the WCPs, except for the modulus of rupture, increased. The properties of the produced panels were improved by increasing the WCR. For WCP industry production, the choice of proper wood species, board density and WCR should be made based on the end uses of the panels.