Modification of Wheat Straws through Steam Explosion and its Effect on Panel Properties

Abstract:

Particleboards bonded with urea formaldehyde (UF) and a combination of UF and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) resins were manufactured using wheat straws modified through different steam explosion treatments. The effect of steam explosion treatment, resin system, and mixing ratios of wood and straw materials on the panel properties was investigated. Generally, with steam explosion treatment of straw fibers, panel properties in bending and internal bond (IB) strength increased, thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA) decreased. The bending properties for the panels made from the straws pretreated with 12 h water-soaking were significantly improved at the UF/MDI content level of 5%/1%. The IB strength dramatically increased, while TS and WA decreased with the use of dual resins. With increased weight ratio of wheat straw to wood particles, the bending properties, IB strength, TS and WA deteriorated. Pure wheat straw boards had the lowest properties. Wood particles in substitution for part of straw materials helped improve the panel properties. The results demonstrated that steam explosion modification and/or its combination with UF/MDI dual resin system can be a feasible approach to improve the bonding strength for wheat straw based particleboards.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 143-144)
• Pages: 1429-1433
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.143-144.1429
• Online since: October 2010
• Authors: Shun Xin Fu, Guang Ping Han, Wan Li Cheng, James Deng
• Keywords: Board Manufacture, Mechanical Property, Steam Explosion, Wheat Straw

References

[1] G. Han, W. Cheng and K. D. K. Leendertse: Wood Industry (China) Vol. 24 No. 3 (2010), p.44.

[2] A. Garde, G. Jonsson, A. S. Schmidt and B. K. Ahring: Bioresource Technology Vol. 81 No. 3 (2002), p.217.

[3] J. Hague, A. Mclauchlin and Q. Richard, in: Proceedings of the 32th International Particleboard/Composite Materials Symposium, Washington, USA (1998), p.151.

[4] S. L. Sauter: Proceedings of the 30th International Particleboard/Composite Materials Symposium, Washington, USA (1996), p.197.

[5] N. Boquillon, G. Elbez and U. Schonfeld: J. Wood Sci. Vol. 50 (2004), p.230.

[6] G. Han, J. Deng, S. Y. Zhang, P. Bicho and Q. Wu: J. Ind. Crops and Prod. Vol. 31 (2010), p.28.

[7] G. Han, K. Umemura, S. Kawai and H. Kajita: J. Wood Sci. Vol. 45 (1999), p.299.

[8] J. M. Lawther, R. Sun and W. B. Banks: Holzforschung Vol. 50 (1996), p.365.