Development of formaldehyde-free bio-board produced from mushroom mycelium and substrate waste.

Many timber producing countries generate more than 2 million m3 of sawdust annually. In developing countries, sawdust is often disposed of by open dumping, open burning, or dumping in landfills. This poses huge environmental challenges related to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and destruction of plant and aquatic life. Findings from this review article reveal that sawdust can be used to make sawdust construction composites with good modulus of elasticity, water absorption and strength characteristics that satisfy international specifications. These composites include particleboards, sawdust concrete blocks or bricks and sawdust concrete. The article concludes that partially replacing 5% to 17% of sand with sawdust, or replacing cement with sawdust ash in proportions of 5% to 15% in concrete mixes can produce structural concrete with compressive strengths greater than 20 MPa. Partially replacing 10% to 30% of sand used in the manufacture blocks and bricks with sawdust can also produce sawdust bricks and blocks with compressive strengths greater than 3 MPa. Sawdust composites are also attractive for their low thermal conductivity, high sound absorption and good sound insulation characteristics. These findings indicate that increased utilisation of sawdust composites in construction will mitigate against potential sawdust environmental pollution, conserve energy and reduce disposal costs.

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Engineering Characteristics and Potential Increased Utilisation of Sawdust Composites in Construction—A Review

Particle boards were prepared from sawdust and urea-formaldehyde resin (UFR) on compression moulding machine. The particleboards were produced at a compression temperature of 150°C; a pressure of 10tons was applied for 15 minutes. The amount of sawdust was kept constant at 20g while UFR was varied from 30ml, 35ml, 40ml and 45ml respectively. The control sample (CS) was the 50ml UFR without any saw dust. The properties of the particleboards were tested using ASTM methods. The results showed that the properties of the particleboards are a function of the percentage composition of the binder (resin) and the filler (sawdust). The results showed that as the URF content increased from 30ml to 45ml, the mechanical properties increased. The hardness increased from 88.6 shoreA to 99 shoreA while the percentage of water absorption decreased as the UFR content increased. The swelling thickness decreased as UFR content increased. The density increased as URF content increased.

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Mechanical Properties of Urea Formaldehyde Particle Board Composite

This paper presents the results of experimental study on the production of particle boards from wastes of wood and expanded polystyrene foam (EPS). Two different particle sizes of wood wastes and two different dosages of EPS resin were used as binders in the boards (WPP). Modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and physical properties were analysed. Effects of long-term immersion in water for 7–28 days on the properties of the particleboards were similarly evaluated. SEM and FTIR were used to analyse the specimens. The results showed that water absorption decreased as EPS content was increased from 1.5 to 2.0 and thickness swelling indicated that WPP with 0.85 mm particle sizes and 1.5 resin dosages had the least value between 2.38 and 3.51% after 7–28 days of prolonged immersion in water. MOR and MOE indicated that the optimum performances of the WPP boards were recorded before the prolonged immersion in water at 4.3 MPa and 187.8 MPa. WPP with 0.85 and 1.75 mm particle sizes with 2.0 resin dosage had good post immersion performance. This study demonstrated that wood and EPS wastes are sustainable materials for producing composite wood based panels that are still durable in moist environment.

Durability and strength properties of particle boards from polystyrene–wood wastes

Agricultural material or biomaterial plays an important role in the field of fibre-reinforced polymeric materials with their new range of applications and achieves the ecological objective. Composition and structure of the nature fibre and matrix must be taken into consideration for the end use. In this project, Sago fibre particleboard bonds with Urea Formaldehyde to form composite. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra are used to characterize the Sago/Urea Formaldehyde composite in terms of their functional group and bonding. Sago/UF composite with smaller particle and higher loading of fibre with 15 wt% of UF matrix has the higher curing properties. The composite will have a denser structure by adopting bigger particle and higher loading of UF matrix. The Sago/UF composite only endures a single stage of decomposition. Thermal stability results indicate that particle size, particle/matrix interface adhesion, and particle loading have great influence on the thermal properties of the composites.

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Urea Formaldehyde Composites Reinforced with Sago Fibres Analysis by FTIR, TGA, and DSC

This research work was aimed at comparing the properties of particleboards produced from sawdust with phenol formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde resins. The particleboards were produced using varied quantities of particle size 2mm. 30ml each of the resins which was prepared under same conditions, compression temperature of 180 0 C, pressure of 10tons, and pressing time of 15 minutes. The properties of the particleboards were tested and compared. The results showed that the particleboards produced with phenol formaldehyde had better properties compared to that of urea formaldehyde. And the property of the particleboards is a function of the percentage composition of the binder (resin) and the filler (sawdust).

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Comparative Study Of Phenol Formaldehyde And Urea Formaldehyde Particleboards From Wood Waste For Sustainable Environment

The interest in natural reinforced polymer composite materials is rapidly growing both in industrial and basic research applications. This is based on its availability, renewability, low density, cheapness, biodegradability, and satisfactory mechanical properties. The research reports on the isolation and characterization of cellulose from Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth Pod (PMBP) biomass wastes for polymer reinforcement composites. Cellulose was successfully isolated from PMBP biomass via delignification and bleaching. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and deformation gravimetric analysis (DGA) were used to characterise the raw and isolated cellulose. The isolated cellulose has better thermal stability, crystallinity, and porosity than the raw cellulose. The removal of the matrix material (most hemicelluloses and almost all the lignin) led to an increase in the crystallinity and the maintenance of the thermal stability of the cellulose. The functional group elucidation showed that both raw and isolated contained cellulose, the morphology of the cellulose revealed some essential elements that are suitable for good polymer reinforcement composites. The obtained cellulose could serve as a reinforcing material in composite products or as a raw material for other applications.

Emmanuel C. Ezeh

Papers

Comparative Study Of Phenol Formaldehyde And Urea Formaldehyde Particleboards From Wood Waste For Sustainable Environment

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CELLULOSE FROM Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth POD BIOMASS WASTES FOR POLYMER REINFORCEMENT COMPOSITE