Effect of post-production heat treatment on particleboard from sugarcane bagasse

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of heat treatment on the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard from sugarcane bagasse. The experiment consisted of seven treatments arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (two heat treatment times – 8 and 12 min, and three heat treatment temperatures – 200 °C, 230 °C, and 260 °C) and treatment control (without heat treatment). We evaluated the properties such as apparent density, water absorption after 2 and 24 h (WA2h andWA24h), thickness swell after 2 and 24 h (TS2h and TS24h), irreversible thickness swelling rate (ITS), internal bond, Modulus of Elasticity (MOE), and Modulus of Rupture (MOR) in static bending. In general, the use of heat treatment appeared very promising for improving the dimensional stability of sugarcane bagasse particleboard, without being made unviable by the mechanical properties reduction.