EFFECT OF JOB’S TEARS STALK ADDITION IN PARTICLEBOARD BONDED WITH UREA-FORMALDEHYDE RESIN

Abstract

Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) stalk was used as a possible raw material for particleboard. A urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin was synthesised in the laboratory with resin solids at 50% content as a particleboard binder. The physical characteristics of the synthesised UF resin were analysed for solids content, specific gravity,viscosity, gel time, pH and free formaldehyde content. The laboratory particleboards were made using Job’s tears stalk and wood particles based on a Job’s tears stalk oven-dry weight of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% with UF resin. The physical and mechanical properties of the particleboard were tested according to the ASTM D 1037-99 procedure. Internal bond, bending strength properties of the particleboards made using the UF resin decreased gradually with increasing Job’s tears stalk content. However, the acceptable physical and mechanical properties of all particleboards showed that Job’s tears stalk is a suitable raw material for manufacturing of particleboard.