EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL COMPONENTS ON PROPERTIES OF ORIENTED STRAND BOARD FROM <em>LEUCAENA</em> <em>LEUCOCEPHALA</em> WOOD

Abstract

Nazri WM, Jamaludin K, Rudaini MN, Rahim S & Nor Yuziah MY. 2009. Effects of chemical
components on properties of oriented strand board from Leucaena leucocephala wood. Chemical components of wood influence the characteristics, properties and opportunities for use of natural composites. The main objective of the study was to determine basic chemical components of Leucaena leucocephala from 8- and 16-year-old trees and to correlate the effects of chemical components with properties of its oriented strand board. Besides age, the effects of tree portions, namely, top, middle and bottom were also studied. Leucaena leucocephala wood was analysed for holocellulose, lignin, ash and ethanoltoluene, cold water, hot water and 1% natrium hydroxide solubles. Oriented strand boards which were produced from the samples were evaluated for their mechanical and physical properties based on two resin levels (7 and 9%), two target board densities (700 and 800 kg m^-3) and two strand sizes, namely, S1 (12.7−19.0 mm) and S2 (6.3−12.7 mm). This study revealed that tree portion significantly affected cold and hot water solubles, the solubilities of alkali and alcohol toluene, and also the ash and holocellulose contents of L. leucocephala. Only the solubility of alcohol toluene and lignin and holocellulose contents were affected by age. Although the correlation of some chemical components was significant, the correlation coefficients were relatively small, thus, indicating the loose association between the factors and board
properties. It could be deduced that board properties had less association with chemical components but were more dependent on the resin content, board density and strand size used in the study. Generally, 8-year-old wood was found to be a suitable raw material for the manufacture of oriented strand board.