Suitability of Some Fast-Growing Trees and Date Palm Fronds for Particleboard Production‪.‬

Abstract Three fast-growing trees, namely Acacia saligna, Conocarpus erectus, and Melia azedarach, as well as date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) midribs, were evaluated for their suitability for particleboard production. Panels were pressed at two target density levels of 750 and 650 kg/[m.sup.3] and a thickness of 13 mm using 10 percent urea-formaldehyde resin. Modulus of rupture (MOR) mean values for the manufactured boards ranged from 13.34 to 6.7 MPa for date palm boards pressed at high density (HD) and C. erectus boards pressed at low density (LD), respectively. Modulus of elasticity (MOE) mean values ranged from 2,674 to 1,149 MPa for M. azedarach boards at HD and A. saligna boards at LD, respectively. According to the American National Standards Institute, all boards pressed at HD passed the minimum requirements for both MOR and MOE, except for A. saligna boards. On the other hand, all boards pressed at LD did not pass the standard, except for M. azedarach boards. The internal bond mean values of all boards were higher than the standard requirements, but the boards did not satisfy the linear expansion requirements for general uses. Concerning thickness swelling, date palm boards compressed at LD were the only boards that passed the English National Standard requirements for both 2-hour and 24-hour immersions. In general, all the species under investigation can be used in the particleboard industry if they are pressed at a density level of 750 kg/m3, while their dimensional stability properties might be improved by additional treatments, such as coating surfaces with melamine-impregnated papers or laminates in order to achieve a more stable product.