INFLUENCE OF BOARD DENSITY AND PARTICLE SIZES ON THE HOMOGENOUS PARTICLEBOARD PROPERTIES FROM KELEMPAYAN (Neolamarckia cadamba)

Abstract

Three Kelempayan trees were harvested from UiTM Pahang Forest Reserve and chipped and flaked into small particles. The particles were then screened into two different sizes; 1.0mm and 2.0 mm. Urea formaldehyde (UF) resin was used in the board manufacture. The hot press temperature was set for 165 C for 6 minutes. The board was cut in accordance to Japanese Industrial Standards: Particleboards for General Purpose (2003). Results showed that increased board density, the increasing the strength properties of the particleboard particle sizes non-significant effects on all the board properties except IB. Higher board density increases MOR, MOE, TS and WA while decreases IB. Particle sizes show the significantly effect MOR, IB, WA, TS except MOE .Particle sizes of 2.0 mm increases the MOR, MOE and TS significantly while 1.0 mm particles affected IB and WA only. All Kelempayan particleboards tested surpassed the minimum requirements of the JIS. This shows that Kelempayan trees can be used as raw material for particleboard manufacture.