Characterization of particleboard using the inner part of oil palm trunk (OPT) with a bio-based adhesive of sucrose and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP)

The effective utilization of the inner part of oil palm trunk (OPT), generally considered a waste product, is desired. In this study, particleboards were manufactured using the inner part of OPT with a bio-based adhesive made of sucrose and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP). The mixture ratio of sucrose to ADP and the resin content were changed to investigate the optimum condition of the adhesive. The pressing condition was set at 180 °C for 10 min, and the target density was 0.8 g/cm3. The optimum mixture ratio of sucrose to ADP was 80:20, and the optimum resin content was 20 wt%. The manufactured boards had modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) in bending values of 16.4 MPa and 4.3 GPa, respectively. The internal bond strength (IB) was 1.85 MPa, and the thickness swelling (TS) was 9.6%. This indicated that the constructed particleboard was comparable to the 13 types of JIS A 5908 standard (2003). In addition, the particleboard had good termite and decay resistance, similar to those of OPT particleboards made with synthetic adhesives. It was clarified that excellent particleboard could be manufactured from the inner part of OPT and a bio-based adhesive made of sucrose and ADP.