Measurement in some properties of non-toxic particleboard to optimize the formulation for food containers

Abstract

Optimizing a formulation of particleboard, contained rubberwood sawdust (RWS), palmyra fruit fiber (PFF) and tapioca starch (TS), was done by applying the mixture experiment design to achieve the maximum modulus of rupture (MOR) and internal bond strength (IBS), and minimum water absorption (WA). The materials were processed into particleboard panels using a hot compression machine. Analysis of variance revealed that all compositions significantly affected the MOR, IBS and WA characteristics. The increasing additions of palmyra fruit fiber in the particleboard increased the MOR and WA values but decrease the IBS. The MOR and WA characteristics were improved with an increase of the tapioca starch content. An optimal formulation of particleboard was found to be 64% RWS, 20% PFF and 16% TS. The particleboard produced from the optimal formulation apart from meeting the Japanese Industrial Standard requirements in Type 8 can also be processed efficiently as wooden boxes for food containers.