Abstract
The aim of the study was to develop three-layer medium-density fibreboard (MDF) manufacture by adding the coarse fibres in the middle layer, like three-layer particleboard. The liquid urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin was reduced from 10.5 to 6.5 wt% in the middle layer of the MDFs. The UF resin content was kept constant at 10 wt% in the surface layers of all the MDFs. Moreover, the average density of MDFs was decreased from 730 to 650 kg/m3. The internal bond strength of three-layer MDFs decreased with decreasing UF resin content (10.5 to 8.5 wt%) in the middle layer. However, the decreases in the internal bond strength were statistically not significant. The internal bond strength values of the MDFs having density between 730 and 675 kg/m3 did not show significant differences. The cost savings of the resin were 20% when the amount of resin was reduced from 10.5 to 8.5 wt%. Three-layer MDFs had lower resin consumption at lower densities over traditional single-layer MDFs produced in the same plant with the same material components without decreasing their technological properties. In conclusion, it can be said that three-layer MDF could be produced at a lower cost than traditional single-layer MDF.
Highlights
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is the second most used wood-based composites in furniture production and interior decoration behind three-layer particleboard which has significant advantages such as lower density and lower production cost
Physical properties of three‐layer MDF The water resistance of the specimens was negatively influenced by the decreased UF resin content in the middle layer
Bending and internal bond strength were undermined by the decreased density of the MDF
Summary
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is the second most used wood-based composites in furniture production and interior decoration behind three-layer particleboard which has significant advantages such as lower density and lower production cost. In 2017, the largest category by volume in Europe (+EFTA) was particleboard (31.2 million cubic metres), followed by MDF (12.3 million cubic metres) [1]. Particleboard takes up the largest portion of the market of wood-based composites. In the traditional MDF production, surface and middle layers are composed of uniform fine wood fibres. The surface layers are made from small particles and the middle layer is made from coarse wood particles in the particleboard production. Due to shortage of wood material worldwide, lightweight design concept, as a promising alternative to conventional panels, has been considered
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