<em>BAMBUSA</em> <em>VULGARIS</em> FOR UREA AND CEMENT-BONDED PARTICLEBOARD MANUFACTURE

Abstract

Bambusa vulgaris, a common Malaysian bamboo, was used in the manufacture of urea and cement-bonded particleboards. The urea-formaldehyde particleboards must have a minimum density of 600 kg m³ and 8% resin content to meet the requirements of Type I Standard Board, British Standards. In the manufacture of cement-bonded particleboards of density 1250 kg m³, fresh chips of the bamboo had to be pretreated to reduce its total sugarscontent. The cement-bonded particleboards must have a wood:cement ratio of 1:2.75 by weight and 2% of either aluminium sulphate or an admixture of sodium silicate and aluminium sulphate by weight of the cement to meet the requirements of the Malaysian Standard for cement-bonded particleboard.